A scheme for a new store and six retail units on the George Street site was deferred and delegated for approval by the authority's planning committee yesterday (March 20) as the Driffield Post went to press.

The decision is subject to the plans not being called in by the Government and to the completion of legal agreements on parking provision.

However, residents and town councillors who opposed the scheme have pledged to continue their opposition.

Speaking after the decision, Driffield town councillor Brent Roach said he would be taking up the issue with the Secretary of State and the Ombudsman as he believed that it went against planning guidelines.

He claimed that a need for a larger store had not been proved following the decision to give permission for a supermarket scheme on the site of the current Viking Centre.

He said: "We are not finished yet. We will keep fighting."
Resident, Ann Wilkinson, told the committee during the debate that she would take legal action in a bid to retain the view from her home which she had enjoyed for more than 20 years. She said: "This plan is aggressive planning at its worst. It is against our human rights and I will fight to protect them."

Coun John Bird, a member of the committee, expressed his sympathy for Mrs Wilkinson and called for the scheme to be deferred so that it could be considered alongside separate plans for the Driffield cattle market site, where a supermarket is also proposed by other developers.

But ward councillor Symon Fraser told the committee that the people of the town were desperately frustrated at the lack of progress on the issue.

Coun Bryan Pearson, who is also on the committee, urged his colleagues to stop the dereliction of Driffield.

He said: "Driffield is dying on its feet. We have deferred these things long enough."

A separate application for a pedestrian walkway to the site by knocking through an existing shop from Middle Street South was also approved.