TURNING an estate agent into an ice cream parlour would be "prejudicial to road safety" in the area, according to planners.

Bradford Council this week refused plans to convert a business at Rand House, on the corner of Rand Street and Great Horton Road, into an dessert bar.

The businesses would have opened between 11am and midnight, but planning officers said it would create traffic problems, and the late opening would cause a disturbance to neighbours.

The application had been submitted by Omar Zubair.

Planning officers' report said: "The application proposal fails to meet the Council's parking requirements and will result in an increase in on-street parking resulting in access issues arising for residents and/or indiscriminate parking taking place on a busy distributor road affecting the safe and free flow of traffic prejudicial to highway safety.

"The proposed hours of operation, up to midnight, are likely to create disturbance by reason of noise, vehicular activity and general disturbance to nearby residents."

A number of objectors had claimed there were too many similar businesses in the area.

But planning officers replied: "The number of similar uses in an area is not a subject of planning consideration."