BRADFORD Council has rejected a prior approval application for a large unit with a rich history to be turned into a function suite.

Unit 46 in Albion Mills, off Albion Road in the Greengates area, was the subject of an early stages planning bid from Rohani Albion Mills Limited.

It is a new company, incorporated with Companies House on June 8 this year.

The application has been made on behalf of the firm by David Lee.

The proposal is to convert the huge 1,500 square metre, multi-floor space, into a function suite.

Rohani Albion Mills put this through to Bradford Council for prior approval.

An applicant can make this application before full planning is needed and there is often less subjectivity as the proposal is judged against fixed legal requirements, rather than the council's own unique criteria.

The unit was last operating as a dental lab, dental surgery and facial regeneration business, which was approved at the start of 2014.

But the building has been vacant for some time, with the last business being forced to close by the pandemic, according to Mr Lee in the Design and Access Statement.

Permission was granted back in 2005 by Bradford Council for the industrial unit to be converted into a multi-purpose facility consisting of a historic car showroom, car sales floor, officers, coffee shop and conference facilities.

Mr Lee cited this in the prior approval application and stated the company wants to extend those permissions.

The prior approval application also mentioned a previous full planning permission proposal made in 2011, which was similar to the plans Rohani Albion Mills is putting forward.

This was granted with conditions, but later withdrawn, according to the planning officer's Prior Notification Report for the latest application.

One difference between the previous full planning application and the prior approval application is the operating hours.

The one in 2011 had a condition imposed that the premises should be only used between 5pm and midnight in the week and 9am until 10pm on the weekend and Bank or Public Holidays.

But Mr Lee proposed that the unit would be used between 10am and midnight both in the week and on weekends and Bank Holidays.

He added that the unit would require 72 parking spaces and claims there are 145 spots available to the facility.

But Highway Officer Gurnam Shergill said it is unable to support the proposal in its current form.

The officer's report outlines that the 145 spaces would not all be available to the unit due to the proposed operating hours, as some of the spots are shared and "will inevitably" be occupied by users of the other units.

The report also mentions that in the 2011 full planning application, Highways raised concerns about possible overspill parking onto Albion Road, where there are residential houses.

Some residents fear the function room will be used mainly for weddings and that this would bring about excess noise and cause issues with alleged anti-social behaviour and parking.

But the applicant has not outlined whether this is the case or not.

Michael Frazer, Secretary of the Friends of Greengates Cenotaph community group, said he is not "absolutely clear" on his feelings about the possible change of use of the unit.

He added: "On one hand, we want to support job growth in Greengates, but residents are also concerned about noise, fireworks and disruption.

"My personal view is that planners could impose restrictions, if authorising proposal - e.g. no ceremonies before 9am or after 9pm."

The prior approval application was denied on grounds that it does not meet the requirements to be considered under Schedule 2, Part 3, Class J of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

That is, this legislation permits the change of use of up to 200 square metres of A1, A2, betting office or pay day loan shop to a use falling within Class D2.

The Prior Notification Report outlines the building does not appear to have been used for any of the qualifying uses and also the plans look to be for more than the permitted 200 square metres ruling.

Full planning permission is therefore required.

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