AN EYESORE city centre building in need of “substantial” repair could soon be restored.

Long derelict 8 Rawson Place is arguably one of the ugliest shopfronts in Bradford – sealed off with rotting wooden boards and metal shutters.

Despite its current appearance, the building is Grade II listed, dating back to the early 1800s.

But over the years the heritage details of the unit, designed by Herbert Isitt, have been covered with a modern, granite shop front.

Now a new planning application to restore the shop has been submitted to Bradford Council.

The plans, by Harvey Alexander, will also see the unit’s upper floors converted into four flats.

Although no end user for the shop has been specified, the application says it could also end up being a bistro or gallery.

Built for a wool merchants, the unit has also been used as a glass and china dealer. Its modern shop frontage was installed in the late 1970s when it became a Greenwoods menswear store.

The planning application highlights the dire need for something to be done with the unit – as well as a number of vacant neighbouring units on the pedestrianised street.

It says features such as the traditional shop window, ornate gutters and plasters either side of the unit would be restored.

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The application says: “The building has not been in use for a number of years and unfortunately its condition has deteriorated to the extent that repairs are now urgently needed.

“Similarly, a number of the other older units on Rawson Place are in need of sensitive care and repair.

“Bradford Council is urgently seeking to improve this area and grant funding is hopefully being made available to stimulate improvement and to contribute both to the City Regeneration Scheme and to Bradford as a City of Culture.

“The ground floor level and basement will be refurbished and used for a shop unit with a new shop frontage.

“Alternative uses could be a gallery on the two levels or a bistro use.

“The granite facings to the side and top of the shop frontage are to be carefully removed to expose the remaining features of the original frontage.

“It is at this stage that hopefully we should reveal what remains of the original pilasters which would have been each side.”

The area will eventually be part of a planned “city village” that will see more residential units created on and around the current Kirkgate Centre site.

A decision on the planning application is expected next month.