THE Co-op may be forced to change the front of three of its stores after a retrospective planning application was refused.

The store chain did not have planning permission to change signs and the fascia of the former Quality Fayre store in Thirsk Market Place after acquiring it.

Hambleton District Council this week turned down the Co-op's bid for retrospective planning permission at the store, and is looking into changes at two other Co-op's acquisitions.

Maurice Cann, Hambleton's head of development control, said: "We had two applications at Thirsk. The first was to change the shop front and that was refused in March, and a second for signage, which we have refused.

"They have already approached us about discussing a way forward with the shop front and just displaying in the shop window.

"We would think they would know they needed planning permission. It's in a prime location in Thirsk Market Place and it's in a conservation area."

Enforcement action can be brought against the Co-op by the council to make it return the shop to how it was, though the Co-op can still appeal against the council's decision to refuse.

Mr Cann said another former Quality Fayre now owned by the Co-op, in Stokesley, was also being looked at.

There, the Co-op had again changed the shop front, and its signs, and the council was to ask where the planning application for the work was.

The Co-op store in Boroughbridge Road, Northallerton, has also had unauthorised changes made to its signs, and that case is being examined by the council.

A spokeswoman for the Co-op said there had been a misunderstanding. She said it had to remove Quality Fayre illuminated signs from the shops to replace them with those of the Co-op, and Nisa illuminated signs had to go because the stores were no longer stocked by that supplier.

She said: "I think the issue is that on previous refurbishments we have gone ahead and asked for permission afterwards. We will have to discuss the next step."

The spokeswoman said that at the Thirsk and Stokesley stores, doors were moved slightly for disabled access and their fascias changed.