AMBITIOUS plans to turn an empty mill into a wedding hall have been refused, after highways officers disputed claims that 25 per cent of its guests would arrive on foot or by public transport.

Earlier this year plans were submitted to turn Westfield House on Ingleby Road, a former Grattan catalogue shop, into an Asian wedding venue and restaurant.

But Bradford Council has this week refused the application.

When the initial plan was submitted, highways officers said there would be a shortfall of at least 54 spaces.

The mill dates back to the 1930s, and was converted to a clothes shop with warehouse space in the early 1990s.

The application, by Mohammed Tayyab, showed that the former shop would be split into a 290 square metre restaurant and a 1,040 square metre banqueting hall, complete with a stage.

It said: "Over recent years, the demand for banqueting facilities to serve the Asian wedding market has grown significantly. This growth combined with a limited choice of venues in the city has led to a number of new venues opening across the city to serve this growing sector.

“Overall the scheme will bring a large unused building back into life, and re-energise this area of Bradford.”

The plans included parking spaces for 69 cars, but highways officers at the council said this was "unrealistic" for the proposed wedding venue.

Their report into the plans said: "The plans say the maximum number of people at the venue at any one time is predicted to be 109. No evidence to support where these figures have come from has been submitted, however they seem very low considering the large floor area and the amount of seating shown on the proposed ground floor plan, which indicates seating for 480 people.

"The plans suggest that 25 per cent of the customers are assumed to be likely to travel by train/bus/taxi/bicycle/on foot, based on data from the 2011 Census. For an event such as a wedding, it is unlikely that as many as 25 per cent would travel by these sustainable modes."

The application did not give details of how the first floor would be used. Highways officers said that if the whole building was used as a wedding venue, it would need 164 parking spaces. Even if the first floor was left empty, the venue would need at least 123 spaces.

After their objections, the restaurant element was removed.

However, in their final decision, made this week, planning officers said the number of parking spaces was still far too low.

They added: "The applicant has stated they have permission to park at a nearby mosque but this is remote from the site and therefore it is unlikely this would be used and people would look to park at close to the site as possible.

"There are parking restrictions on Ingleby Road and this would lead to vehicles parking for longer periods being parked in residential areas on Princeville Street and Northside Road.

"The development would therefore lead to indiscriminate parking in and around the application site leading to highway safety concerns."

As well as the highways concerns, planners said the new business: "Would be detrimental to the amenities of neighbouring residents by reason of noise, vehicular activity and general disturbance, particularly late at night or at other unsocial hours."