PLANS to open a cash-and-carry supermarket have been met with criticism over road safety fears.

The owners of Hayes Gate House, the derelict building that sits on the junction of Springfield Road and Uxbridge Road, are seeking permission to use the ground floors of the building for a wholesale business. They currently have permission for office use only.

The building sits opposite a small industrial estate and next to an established cash-and-carry, and it is feared that another store will increase traffic on the busy main road and bus route, and pose a danger to pupils of the nearby Guru Nanak schools, at the end of Springfield road.

Rajinder Singh Sandhu, head-teacher at Guru Nanak , said: "We have more than 1,000 students coming here, and there are concerns over safety on the roads as it is.

"I understand that it will produce jobs for people and we are all for that, but as headteacher of the school my main concern is the safety of the youngsters.

"In the early mornings it is dangerous. It's small and not built for such heavy usage.

"It is also a cul-de-sac, so any lorries that come down the road will have to turn straight back."

"From a safety perspective, it's a bad idea and I just feel that it won't add anything to the area."

"It will inevitably lead to problems, and the matter will be raised by the school's governing body."

The owner of the site, Dr Avtar Lit, the chief executive of Litt Corporation, which runs the popular Asian radio station Sunrise Radio, said the cash-and-carry would be a temporary solution to an enduring problem.

He said: "The building has been disused for a number of years, and it has been subject to vandalism and numerous break-ins in that time.

"We hope that having the premises occupied will act as a deterrent for vandals and keep the premises in manageable condition. There is also a need for a cash-and-carry for the Asian community.

"It will only be a temporary arrangement.

Our objective is to follow through with our original plans to make it into a hotel, or even move our Sunrise operations there.

"I don't think there will be a massive difference in traffic. MFI recently closed, which has lead to a loss in traffic, so it is all a question of balance.

"There is an in-road leading into the site, and previous traffic assessments in the immediate area have concluded that there isn't a problem."

Residents have been consulted and a decision is due in June following a planning hearing which has yet to be scheduled. ..SUPL: