Bed firm ordered to demolish factory extension

A luxury bed firm has been ordered to demolish an extension to its factory after losing an appeal for a retrospective planning application.

Wakefield Council rejected the application by Sleep Factory to expand its premises in Ossett in November 2024 after nine residents raised concerns about HGV deliveries creating a traffic hazard.

At the time, council planning officers refused the scheme near St Oswalds Place on the grounds of highways safety but the business owner appealed the decision.

Both appeals were dismissed after an inspector visited the site earlier this month and said there was a "lack of manoeuvring space" for large vehicles to exit the area.

A report said: "The representations of neighbouring occupiers attest to the problems with HGVs reversing out of the site.

"Such manoeuvres are potentially hazardous due to the nature of St Oswald's Place.

"Given the site constraints, I am not convinced that there are any conditions that could overcome the identified harm."

A council enforcement notice was made to order the demolition of the structure, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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.

The firm said at the time that it needed an extension because it was running out of space.

On that occasion, the council's planning committee voted in favour of the firm's application to extend the premises by 255 sq m.

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.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.