EXPANDING Ilkley engineering firm Spooner Industries Ltd is bidding to move back onto land earmarked for the now-shelved new Tesco store.

The manufacturer of industrial overs, dryers, coolers and other machinery says it is actively looking into land off Mayfield Road and Railway Road, following the announcement Tesco no longer plans to build a new supermarket there.

The plot previously housed Spooner's old factory, before the firm moved to purpose-built premises on neighbouring land several years ago.

But with sales now reaching £30million a year, Ilkley-built machinery shipping to China, Africa and South America, and some manufacturing work currently being outsourced, the company is looking for space to expand.

In the past six to seven years, it has gone from having 80 to 90 employees to having 150. It is currently recruiting ten more staff, and the trend looks set to continue as operations increase.

Spooner is long-established in Ilkley , having originally been established as a family business in Ilkley 82 years ago.

The company has experienced a change in fortunes since in changed hands in 2006, having previously reported underlying operating losses.

It moved to its new factory on Lower Railway Road in 2008, but now says it needs more manufacturing and office space.

Deputy Managing Director, Steve Newell, hopes the Tesco land will remain as it was intended, for employment purposes.

He said: “We hope that we will have the opportunity to continue our growth and meet the demands of our international customers by increasing our office and manufacturing space in Ilkley.

"We believe that Ilkley will only benefit from the extra jobs and training opportunities that this will create, boosting the local economy, and in turn strengthening our community.”

Mr Newell confirmed Spooner was interested in using part of the site.

"We are actively looking at what we can do with part of that site," he said.

Since Tesco revealed it would going to put the land on the market, speculation has been circulating that the land may be sold for housing.

Suggestions from the community and councillors have included using the land to provide affordable homes, or creating a car park on part of the land to alleviate parking problems across the town centre

Spooner was recently ranked within the top 100 of the 2014 Sunday Times list entitled “Britain’s Private Companies with the Fastest-Growing Overseas Sales”.

The company was ahead of many well-known brands such as Prêt à Manger, Wiggle and Specsavers.

Tesco has confirmed the land is now on the market.