Flats plan for part of building saved by King Charles

Part of a building in Bradford once saved from dereliction thanks to self-confessed “meddling” by King Charles could become studio flats for “short stay occupants”.

A section of Eastbrook Hall on Leeds Road could be converted from office space into nine flats if a new planning application is approved by Bradford Council.

Dating back to 1825, Eastbrook Hall had fallen into a poor state until a £12m regeneration project began in the early 2000s, partly funded by the Prince’s Trust.

The then Prince of Wales visited the completed scheme in 2008 and, referring to his involvement in its regeneration, said he "couldn’t stand back and do nothing".

The Grade II-listed building is in Little Germany – an area of Bradford that is home to one of the highest concentrations of listed buildings in Europe.

It is mix of flats, business units and office space, with the NSPCC also having a base there until recently, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The new planning application, submitted by Mansuck Gorasia, seeks consent to convert the empty office space on the first floor of the building into a mix of eight studio flats and a one-bed apartment.

According to the application, there was currently a shortage of flats in the Little Germany area.

The plans said: “This application is to convert the existing vacant space into apartments for short stay occupants in the local area.

“Due to the small number of available flats in Little Germany, the local area is in need of additional accommodation.

“The listed elements of the Eastbrook Hall will be kept untouched, and the development would in no way be of detriment to the preserved elements.

“The intent of the proposal is to redevelop a currently unused and disregarded space.”

The building was once the Methodist Cathedral of the North, and after the regeneration scheme is now home to over 70 apartments, a wedding store and a high-end hairdressers.

It was listed by Historic England in 1981.

Visiting the site in 2008, Prince Charles described himself as an "inveterate interferer and meddler", adding that, as such, "I couldn’t possibly stand back and do nothing" about the state the building was in before its regeneration.

A decision on the application is expected in June.

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