A FORMER college building will be converted into a large home, complete with a cinema, spa and “indoor garden,” if new plans are approved.

Bolton Royd in Manningham dates back to the 1850s, and most recently was used by Bradford College as a campus for adult and community learning classes until 2016.

The large Grade II listed building, one of the earliest villas in Manningham, was sold a year later, and an application to turn a more modern extension to the back of the building into a 37-bed care home was approved by Bradford Council last year.

But an application to turn the large listed building onto the site into residential use was refused last month, with planning officers saying there was too little detail in the application for them to make a judgement on the future of the building, which is also in a conservation area.

Now applicant Jag Tailor has re-submitted the application with much more detail into how the change of use would impact the listed building.

Former college campus in Manningham for sale with £1.5 million price tag

If approved the development will include a spa, indoor garden, bar, pool room, cinema, five bedrooms a gym and an office.

Bradford College sold the 3.1 acre site as part of efforts to consolidate its large estate when it moved many of its services into its new David Hockney Building.

Bolton Royd dates back to the 1850s, when Manningham was one of Bradford’s most wealthy suburbs and the building would have been surrounded by countryside.

It is a short distance from Lister Park and is now part of the St Paul’s Conservation Area.

A heritage statement included with this application describes the building as featuring “debased Greek Revival detailing” and being “An early example of the development of Manningham as a fashionable suburb.”

It says minimal external changes will be made to the building, other than the demolition of a small extension.

Discussing the building’s history and importance to the area, it adds: “Once a sparsely populated village, Manningham developed to become Bradford’s premier Victorian suburb.

“But while its comfortable villas are a testament to wealth of Bradford’s leading citizens, Manningham also contains fine examples of elegant terraced housing and smaller bac-to-back homes, as well as mill complexes and a wide range of public buildings. Together, these produce a patchwork of strikingly contrasting neighbourhoods.

“In recent decades, Manningham has had a reputation as a rundown area with problems.

“But the acclaimed restoration of Lister Park and the landmark conversion of Lister Mills heralds a new area.

“Historic elements such as these help to maintain a sense of place and bind communities together.

“As other developments follow, it is vital that the exceptional interest and quality of Manningham’s buildings, streets and open spaces is recognised and sustained.

“A revival of the area’s fortunes will require change, just as previous generations altered what they found, building and adapting to suit their needs.

“Well-judged, proportionate change will enhance, not diminish, the suburb’s special qualities.”

Bradford Council is expected to make a decision on whether to approve the application in mid July.