The future of an historic listed building in Bradford has been secured after its owner has won a planning battle to keep an equestrian centre there.

Seventeenth century Leaventhorpe Hall in Thornton has been on the English Heritage Buildings at Risk register for a number of years and owner Anthony Gribbin has plans in place to restore it to create a family home for himself.

But the scheme is dependent on a loan secured on the equestrian business he built four years ago to house 33 horses.

He has been in a battle with Bradford Council planners over the stable block, as they say he did not have the correct planning permission in place for something that size and served him with an enforcement notice to demolish the centre and an outbuilding.

Mr Gribbin lodged an appeal against the enforcement notice with the Planning Inspectorate and its inspector has now ruled that the stable can stay if it is reduced in size and clad in timber although the outbuilding must come down.

Mr Gribbin said the Inspectorate's decision meant he can press ahead with the restoration of Leaventhorpe Hall.

He said: "We are very pleased with the outcome. It means the building can stay, with equestrian use, and just a bay has to go. This would reduce the number of horses to 28.

"Bradford Council wanted the whole building removed, so as far as we are concerned, we have won the appeal.

"We suggested the changes, including the Yorkshire boarding.

"Now we have permission in place, we are preparing drawings for two more agricultural buildings and will be putting in planning applications soon."

As well as the restoration of the Grade II* listed building, Mr Gribbin has planning permission to convert an old stable block in to one home and to create three homes in the east barn.

Two of these four have already been snapped up, he said. Finally he will build five new homes, which he now intends to keep as holiday lets.

Giving reasons for his decision, Planning Inspector Robert Sexton said the stables remained an "inappropriate" development for the site but that was outweighed by the benefit of saving Leaventhorpe Hall.

His report states: "The potential public benefits of the restoration scheme for Leaventhorpe Hall and the east barn are in my view considerable.

"The development before me could not be construed as enabling development.

"Nonetheless, I am satisfied that there is a material connection between the appellant's equine-related commercial activities and the realisation of the restoration of the hall, such that the failure of the former would jeopardise the achievement of the latter."