When Bradford Council announced plans to relax planning rules to help regenerate Little Germany, there were concerns expressed about the impact it would have.

This newspaper was among those stating that although the move was welcome, any developments had to be sympathetic to preserving the tradition of this historic quarter.

So it is reassuring to see that the first big development submitted since the area became the first to be allowed to relax rules to bring empty buildings back into use seems to be respectful.

Vantage Apartments has submitted plans to turn Grade II listed building 46 Peckover Street – one of the most striking buildings in the district – into 33 one and two-bedroom apartments.

And it has stated clearly in its proposal that it understands the value of the building in architectural terms, describing it as the only one built in the Scottish Baronial style in the area.

This would seem to be the type of scheme that this relaxation of rules was brought in to attract – with around a third of the buildings in the historic merchants’ quarter underused, something has to be done to bring them back into use.

Little Germany has an important part to play in the ongoing overall regeneration of Bradford city centre, and attracting more development like this in is key to that.

Of course, we cannot have a free-for-all, and strong safeguards need to remain in place through the planning process.

But respectful and sympathetic developments like this one seems to be should help reinvigorate this important quarter of the city.