A luxury bed firm has been refused permission for an extension which has already been built next to its factory. Wakefield Council rejected the retrospective application from Sleep Factory to expand its premises in Ossett, saying the site had failed to demonstrate it could "operate safely". Nine residents living near to the business, on St Oswalds Place, objected to the new building with concerns about HGVs deliveries creating a traffic hazard.
The Sleep Factory first drew complaints during a planning row in 2018, when residents complained about activity at the site keeping them awake at night. On that occasion, the council’s planning committee voted in favour of the firm’s application to extend the premises by 255 sq m, after the company claimed it was running out of space. But, according to an officer’s report, the total measured floorspace on plans submitted to the council showed it had actually been extended by 285 sq m, the said.
A decision notice said: "The application as submitted fails to provide sufficient information to demonstrate that the site can operate safely. "In particular, the supporting plans do not provide a layout which illustrates that heavy goods vehicles can enter the site in a forward gear, turn and exit in a forward gear.".