A FORMER bank and neighbouring business units in Shipley town centre could soon be converted into flats.

Thomas Duggan House on Wellcroft is currently home to a number of business units on the ground floor, with flats above.

However, some of these units, including the towns former TSB bank branch, are vacant.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

This week property company Shipley Properties Ltd applied for “prior approval” to turn the empty ground floor units into more flats for the building.

The proposed 10 new apartments would be a mix of two bed and one bed flats.

The plans are not a planning application, but a request for prior approval.

Under recent Government changes to planning law, developers can convert empty shops in city and town centres into flats without the need for planning permission.

Conversion of ex-call centre in Bradford into flats can go ahead

Councils are only able to block such developments if they raise serious environmental or highways concerns.

The proposals say: “Located with easy access to local amenities, these apartments are set in a highly sustainable location.

“Due to the location of these apartments, it is thought that many of the residents will not require or need the use of their own cars as public transport is both reliable, well sourced and accessible.”