
Councillors have deferred a decision on plans for a new £6m Aldi supermarket in a North Yorkshire town.
Members of Thirsk and Malton area planning committee said they needed more information before giving the go-ahead for the development in Commercial Street, Norton.
Chair of the committee, Councillor Caroline Goodrick, said responses on issues surrounding air quality, congestion and a proposed new road crossing were requested.
“I think members were happy in principle with the scheme but would like some points ironed out,” she added.
It is almost three years since the plans for the supermarket were first drawn up.
Councillors had been recommended to approve the development subject to the signing of a 106 agreement when they met on Thursday.
Part of the site is a former ATS Euromaster tyre repair centre which has since been demolished, with the remainder being overgrown
scrubland.
The supermarket would have a car park with 89 spaces.
The proposed opening hours of the store are 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and for six consecutive hours between 9am and 6pm on Sundays.
The scheme had the support of Norton Town Council, although the authority raised concerns about traffic management and air pollution.
North Yorkshire Council received nine responses in support and two opposed, while Lidl, which already has a store in Norton, also submitted an objection.
The application was sent to be decided by the planning committee rather by council officers because the land is partly owned by North Yorkshire councillor Lindsay Burr, who is also the mayor of Malton.
Although Cllr Burr is a member of the planning commitee, she did not attend the meeting when the application was discussed.
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