A NEW college could soon be opening in a vacant, Grade II listed Little Germany building.

London-based Chiswick College has submitted an application to turn the upper four floors of 55 Well Street into an educational facility.

However, details of the planned college, including what courses will be on offer or how many students it will take, remain scant.

The Listed Building application has been submitted to Bradford Council by Manni Bassi of Chiswick College Ltd.

Chiswick College, which has campuses in Chiswick and Stratford, offers courses in Business Administration and Business and Management.

Its website says: “We are committed to the power of education to transform lives and aim to support our students in attaining their personal and professional goals and in contributing to society.”

The Telegraph & Argus contacted the agent for the application to get more information on the planned College.

We were informed that Mr Bassi would not be commenting further on the plans.

Dating back to 1865, 55 Well Street is also known as Kershaw House, and sits opposite the Broadway Shopping Centre.

Designed by famed architect Eli Milnes, it was originally built as one of many wool warehouses in Little Germany, at a time when Bradford was a manufacturing powerhouse.

Little Germany, now one of Bradford’s Conservation Areas, holds the record for having the highest concentration of listed buildings anywhere in Europe.

Building described as 'blot' on Little Germany Conservation Area

The Well Street building was most recently used by Bradford Council as a training centre and associated office space, but has been empty for a number of years.

In 2019 an application, submitted by Yorkshire based Trinity House Orthodontics, to turn the building’s ground floor into an orthodontist’s clinic was approved by planning officers.

Bradford Council’s Conservation Office Jon Ackroyd has supported the plans to convert the upper floor into a college. He said: “A new, sustainable use that is compatible with preserving the special interest of the building is welcomed.

“The proposal will bring the building back in to use which is beneficial to its long term maintenance.”

A decision on the listed building application is expected next month.

The Well Street area of the city, which is currently pedestrianised, is due to undergo some major changes in the coming years.

Government funded plans to pedestrianise Hall Ings will likely mean Well Street is re-opened to traffic, and becomes a “public transport corridor” that will pass through Little Germany.