A RADIO station has revealed plans to turn a derelict 19th century church in Bradford city centre into a new concert venue and restaurant.

Sunrise Radio is understood to have bought St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church on East Parade, Barkerend, earlier this year, and also wants to use the site as its new studios, moving from its current base in Little Germany.

The broadcaster said the project would provide “significant employment”, and it has been welcomed by one ward councillor as a “real positive” in the regeneration of the area.

The Grade-II listed building was built between 1874 and 1876 as the Mother Church for the Bradford Diocese, but closed as an active parish church in 2006.

It was formerly owned by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds, with its associated buildings including a presbytery house, a nursery, and the 1920s Scala Picture House.

Outlining its plans for the site, a statement by Sunrise Radio reads: “The proposed development will see the entire site brought back into use, and refurbish existing elements that are showing signs of deteriorating due to the building being unheated, a pigeon infestation, and water penetration.

“The main body of the church is proposed to widen its use to allow music events, conference facilities, and banqueting facilities for use as a wedding venue.

“The scheme will bring a large unused building back into life, retaining the listed elements where possible, albeit concealed, but there for future generations should the use change again.

“Granting approval for this scheme will allow the building to be retained without many or significant external alterations and also prevent further decay to the fabric of the building.

“The site will provide significant employment.”

In December last year, the Diocese described the Sunrise Radio proposals as “good news” as they were in line with the type of use suited to the site, rather than turning it “into a restaurant or something like that.”

No-one from the Diocese office or Sunrise Radio was available to comment on the plans.

Councillor Nazam Azam (Lab, City), said: “This is a real positive, and forms another part of the overall regeneration of the city centre.

“I am very confident it will enhance the area, and will give the project my full support. The building has been derelict for some time, so this is brilliant.”