PLANS for a landmark Grade II-listed building in Bradford have finally been given the green light.

The proposals to turn the old Bradford Register Office in Manor Row into offices for disability charity Bradnet and prospective tenants the NHS were lodged with the council’s planning department in November.

Last April, it was announced the charity had completed a deal to buy the 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 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.

Its plans outlined the three-storey building would be turned into offices, boardrooms, reception spaces, administration facilities, kitchens, training rooms, bathrooms and an NHS ‘wellbeing’ cafe.

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While there was no objection to the proposed change of use, planning chiefs asked for more information to be given.

Jon Ackroyd, Bradford Council's conservation officer, raised concerns over a lack of detail in the heritage statement.

Prior to the proposals being passed, planning officer Ross Hallam said in a report: "A proposed café has been removed and will now consist of a kitchen and seating area, which would be deemed ancillary to the main use.

"There is no objection to the proposed change of use, with the office use consistent with the current use of the building.

"The expansion of activities raises no greater concern and a viable use for the building will serve to ensure a sustainable future for the building.

"Notwithstanding the above, following concerns expressed by the Council's design and conservation officer regarding the level of information submitted with the application, and specifically the lack of detail regarding existing features and how the proposed alterations will relate to these.

"The interior finishes are considered of sufficient quality that in order to

make an accurate appraisal of the impact of the proposal more information was required, especially what level of intervention in the fabric of the building will be required.

"An application for listed building consent has recently been refused on the basis of this lack of detailing."

The report states additional plans have been provided for the application detailing the extent of internal works and measures to address how this will "interact with the existing historic fabric and important internal features".

It states: "In terms of this application the additional information provided is considered sufficient to establish that, subject to how the works are carried out, the proposal will satisfactorily preserve the listed building, and ensure it remains in active use."

Asif Hussain, the charity’s chief executive, said: "We are delighted that Bradford Council continue to support the revitalisation of this iconic building for community use."