AN application to turn a betting shop in the heart of the city centre into an adult gaming centre has been refused by Bradford Council.

And planning officers say they have no record of permission being granted for a betting shop in the first place, despite it having operated yards from City Hall for years.

Earlier this year an application to turn Royal Bet on Bridge Street into an adult gaming centre was submitted to Bradford Council.

The application said the gaming centre would be a similar business to the betting shop, but that due to planning rules, the company would have to submit a change of use application.

But the Council has now refused that application, saying that the centre would have “limited potential” of generating footfall on one of the city’s key streets.

And planners also said they had no record of permission being granted to change the use of the unit, former offices based in a Grade II listed building, to a betting shop.

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Now a second application for the change of use has been submitted after the company “clarified the situation” with the Council.

The original application had said the gaming centre would create jobs, and added: “There will be no harm to retail vitality viability or diversity as the proposal is to swap an existing licensed gaming activity for another similar licensed gaming activity.

“There are no physical changes proposed to the shopfront and there will be no impact on the existing shopping frontage and an active frontage will be maintained.”

The business is based in a Grade II listed building in a Conservation Area.

A report by planning officers that led to the initial plans being refused said: “The existing use is a material consideration in determining this application. However the Council does not hold any records for a betting shop where the use has been submitted.

“An adult gaming centre is not considered to complement the retail function of the shopping frontage and is likely to harm its vitality, viability and diversity.

“An adult gaming centre is considered to have limited potential to generate footfall and not to the extent to be of general public interest or service.”

The building overlooks Centenary Square and dates back to 1871. It was designed by Knowles and Wilcock architects to an Italianate and Venetian Gothic design.

A Bradford Council spokesperson, told the Telegraph & Argus: “The application was determined on the basis of the available information and there is no planning record of a change of use.

“It is only since 2015 that change of use from offices to betting shops, such as this, have needed planning permission and as long as you held a betting licence for the property before this and were in the process of carrying out the conversion no application was needed.

“Following the refusal of the first application the applicant’s agent has clarified the situation in regards to the use and a second application has now been submitted which will be considered on its merits and in line with current planning regulations and guidelines.”

A decision on the second application is expected in late May.

The Telegraph & Argus contacted the agents for the company but has yet to receive a response.