Tesco has unveiled plans to build a store in Silsden, creating around 200 jobs.

The proposed 20,000 sq ft medium- sized store would be built in Keighley Road, to the east of Silsden AFC and near where Aldi also hopes to build.

A public exhibition is due to be held on Wednesday at Silsden Methodist Church before plans are submitted to Bradford Council later in the year.

Bradford Craven ward councillor Andrew Mallinson welcomed the proposals, which he said reflected planned growth for the area.

He said: “This is good, positive news. I’m just astounded we’ve had one site allocated for a supermarket closely followed by another.”

Coun Mallinson said with the planned growth of Silsden, Steeton and Addingham, supermarket developers clearly recognised a need.

The scheme is being brought forward by planning consultancy Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners on behalf of the site owner and has been discussed by Bradford Council officers for more than a year.

The site, formerly Becks Mill industrial buildings, was last occupied by Riverdale Publishing and has been empty for three years.

It is expected the new Tesco, including a petrol station and parking, would create about 200 jobs, plus jobs during the construction phase.

Anthony Greally, senior associate director at NLP, said a Tesco store would satisfy the need for a large supermarket in Silsden.

“Current facilities in Silsden mainly comprise of small scale convenience stores which offer a limited range of goods and primarily meet the top-up shopping needs of residents,” he said.

“Silsden is currently lacking a main foodstore, with the largest being the Co-op on Bridge Street which comprises around 12,000 sq ft of net sales area.”

He added: “As a result, the majority of local residents currently travel out of the area to do their main food shopping in larger foodstores.

“There is a need for a new, larger foodstore to enable residents of Silsden to more fully meet their food shopping needs locally, retain spending in the area and reduce travel distances.”

Mr Greally added that the proposed Tesco would be larger than the planned Aldi store, currently out to six-week public consultation.

The NLP public exhibition will be open between 3pm and 8pm.

If planning permission is granted, Tesco plans to start building later this year and open in 2015.