TURNING a commercial building in Keighley Town Centre into flats would create "depressing" living accommodation, planners have claimed.

An application to turn Airedale House, an engineering building on Sand Street, into four flats was submitted to Bradford Council by Abdul Gafar earlier this year.

21 people had written to Bradford Council to support the plans, claiming the conversion would provide much needed accommodation in the town centre and that it would be a good use of an unused building.

But planning officers have refused the application, saying the scheme raised "significant issues" over the living conditions of future occupants.

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They pointed out that the flats would be next to a car repair business and windows would overlook the car park of a neighbouring business.

Officers said: "The flats would seem very enclosed and depressing with regard to outlook, and which would mostly be onto a separately owned car park.

"The proposal would result in flats that would have a sub-standard aspect giving a poor outlook for prospective occupants. The flats would therefore provide inadequate standards of amenity for future occupiers with regard to occupiers being vulnerable to noise from adjacent industrial and other uses.

"The proposal would result in sub-standard residential accommodation."