PLANS to turn an empty city centre pub into offices for a car buying company have been approved by Bradford Council.

An application to convert the ground floor of the Diplomat Hotel in Sunbridge Road – which has been boarded up for several years – into offices for the Car Buying Group was submitted to the council in September and given the go ahead last week. The company plans to keep many of the pub’s existing external features.

Officers said: “It is considered that the change of use and the proposed external changes will enhance the conservation area and in terms of visual amenity and its effect on the Goitside conservation area.

“Its continued use will increase the number of people and also increase footfall in the city centre.”