THE refurbishment of a city centre shop front will be a “welcome” improvement – planners have agreed.

The former Post Office unit on Darley Street dates back to the early 20th Century, but has a modern shop frontage.

The unit has been empty for a number of years, but last month a planning application to divide the ground floor into two shops was approved by Bradford Council.

The units are likely to be a nail salon and a firework shop – with Big Shotter fireworks relocating from its current Darley Street site.

Two flats will be created at the building’s Piccadilly elevation.

A condition of the application was that the modern shop front be replaced by a frontage more sympathetic to the heritage building.

An application for work including replacement windows and the cleaning and repair of some of the building’s stonework.

Planners have now approved these works. They said: “The building currently has a mis-match of a variety of windows which would be replaced with traditional and appropriate windows.

“This external change will rejuvenate the host building and would be welcomed to improve the appearance of the building for the recently approved uses.”

The upper floors of the building have already been converted into flats.