PLANS to transform one of Bradford’s most important Victorian buildings have been formally submitted to planning chiefs.

The proposals to turn the old Bradford Register Office in Manor Row into offices for disability charity Bradnet and prospective tenants NHS, subject to contract, have been lodged with the Council’s planning department.

In April, it was announced the charity had completed a deal to buy the Grade II-listed building from Bradford Council, with help from a £260,000 grant from the Lottery-funded trust Power to Change, which supports community businesses.

It also offered Bradnet up to £10,000 to help it develop its business plans.

The register office closed in October 2014 after the Council bosses decided it was surplus to requirements and moved the service into City Hall.

The authority had put the Grade II listed building up for sale for £600,000 and later put it up for auction.

But Bradnet applied to have the building registered as an asset of community value, a process which allows community groups interested in buying buildings more time to get the funds together.

Bradford West Area Committee backed this call and ordered that the building be removed from the auction.

Anyone interested in buying the building was then given a set time to submit tenders.

Asif Hussain, Bradnet’s chief executive, said: “We are absolutely delighted and hugely privileged to have acquired this wonderful landmark building.”

He said the development marks a “massive step change” from the charity’s premises in Laisterdyke to the central city location on Manor Row.

Mr Hussain added that he hoped the charity would be able to work with different partners to create a community hub and thanked all those who have helped Bradnet get to this point.

The charity is due to move in to the building before Christmas and it’s hoped work on the building will be able to begin in January.

A design and access statement for the development outlines the three-storey building will be turned into offices, board rooms, reception spaces, administration facilities, kitchens, training rooms, bathrooms, plus an NHS ‘wellbeing’ cafe.

It says all works are “intended to be constructed to the highest standards”.

The report adds: “We believe that the change of use of the existing vacant property into functioning offices meets with the context of local planning policy and unitary development plan and will provide a level of regeneration in the immediate area.

“The proposed works will seek to respond to the Bradford Heritage practice guide and look at the existing assets and evaluate them for extent, significance and any works which impact in the existing asset or feature both externally and internally.”

The site also includes a car park which has not been used since the building was vacated in 2014.

The design and access statement sets out this will be reinstated and made good where necessary to provide private parking for both Bradnet and NHS office workers.

Bradnet works to support people with disabilities through independent living, outreach and short trips. Its aim is to break down the barriers its users can face to help them lead as full a life as possible.