A SCHEME to turn part of a former bank in Bradford city centre into student flats has been approved.

The former Halifax building on Kirkgate has been empty and up for sale for several years, with little interest from any buyers. Stanthorne Ltd recently submitted a planning application to divide the building, with the first and second floors converted to 16 en suite student flats, with shared kitchen/dining spaces, and the ground floor turned into access for the flats and a smaller unit.

The ground floor, previously designated for financial services, can now also be used as a shop, restaurant or bar. Stanthorne had said there had been no interest from buyers in the building in its current form.

Planning officers said: “This part of the city has suffered a decline in footfall since the opening of the Broadway and granted consent for a range of uses could help attract a new longer term tenant for the ground floor unit.”