A CAFE owner has accused Kirklees Council of failing to help small businesses following a row over parking.

Nick Cooper, who runs Coop’s Cafe in King’s Mill Lane, Aspley, says there is insufficient parking outside his cafe after the council removed a parking bay opposite his premises.

The bay, which had spaces for about 12 cars, was replaced with double yellow lines when the road was resurfaced two years ago.

A private car park next to the cafe has also closed to make way for the construction of student accommodation.

Mr Cooper says the parking situation will get worse once the student accommodation is occupied.

He said: “When I speak to Kirklees Highways they’re not interested.

“There’s nowhere to park yet they’re putting yellow lines there instead.

“We’re lacking customer parking and our customers are being put off.

“It’s not helping my business and I’m worried about what it’s going to be like when the student accommodation is built.”

Mr Cooper added: “The council should be helping small businesses and they’re not interested.”

A spokesperson for Kirklees Council said: “The nearest car parking available is at Kingsbridge and Maple Street.”

Work on the huge student hostel is being carried out by Watkin Jones, who are experts in providing student accommodation.

The firm plan to create 383 apartments on the site, bounded by King’s Mill Lane and Somerset Road, which is known as Riverside Studios.

It is due for completion in July 2014.

Many years ago it housed a small theatre and studio for the then Huddersfield Polytechnic and was subsequently taken over by the University of Huddersfield.

In recent years the land has been used for parking and also by a car wash firm.

Watkin Jones are also building a huge new student hostel at the other end of King’s Mill Lane, on a site adjoining Snow Island.

Both sites are expected to provide accommodation for some of the University’s 24,000 students – with more than 3,000 of those coming to Huddersfield from overseas.

About half the students, 12,429, come from more than 20km out of Huddersfield and many of those require rooms.

The university sold off its own hostel provision at Storthes Hall, Kirkburton, to private owners.

There are also big hostels at Ashenhurst, Newsome, and in Firth Street, Aspley.