PLANS to turn an empty shop into a takeaway in the Bradford City Centre Conservation Area have been rejected by Bradford Council.

The application had been to open the outlet in Sunbridge Road, in a former candle shop between Chivers Walsh Solicitors and The Lovefood Deli.

The plans included the installation of an extraction grill to the rear of the property, and the applicant believed the development “would not be harmful or impact the character or appearance of the conservation area, but will enhance it by bringing a unit back into use”.

While a conservation officer didn’t object to the change of use, she said the extraction grills looked “unbalanced and incongruous “ and need to be altered to be “less visually intrusive”.

Planning officers agreed, saying the grills made the building look unbalanced as they would be fitted in the windows, which would be detrimental to the Bradford City Centre Conservation Area in which the site is located, and therefore refused the plans.