PLANS to turn a listed Victorian pub into a restaurant and bedsits have been refused – with Conservation Officers saying there was “no compelling case” for the loss of one of Bradford’s traditional pubs.

The Black Swan in Frizinghall shut this Spring, and in October a planning application to convert the building was submitted to Bradford Council.

But now these plans – for a café/restaurant on the ground floor and four bedsits on the first floor -  have been refused.

The building, known to generations of drinkers as the 'Mucky Duck', dates back to the mid 1800s, and has operated as a pub since the 1890s.

Before it shut, with “rising prices” cited as the reason, it was a popular haunt of Bradford City fans on matchdays.

The planning application, by Tihra Parveen, said the bedsits would prove popular with students who might be put off from living in the city centre due to higher rents.

They argued the changes would help retain a listed building.

But planning officers have now refused the application for a number of reasons, ranging from the “poor living conditions” for future residents to concerns that the café/restaurant will “adversely impact the amenity” of the same residents.

And Conservation Officers said the loss of a pub so significant to the area’s history should not be allowed without more detail.

The plans for the building included a rear extension and new windows.

There had been four objections to the plans, with objectors arguing the new use would “inconvenience” neighbouring residents, and that a community facility would be lost.

Conservation Officer at Bradford Council Jon Ackroyd also questioned the loss of a pub. He said: “The public house use is a part of the social history of the building and its presence in the locality."

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: A scee from 2011, when the pub was in full swing and part of the community, as it held a race night for charityA scee from 2011, when the pub was in full swing and part of the community, as it held a race night for charity (Image: T&A)

Mr Ackroyd said “This contributes to the significance of the heritage asset.

“The change of use to an alternative use from public house must be accompanied by a compelling case, which is not evident in the submitted documentation.

“The current change of use lacks justification and the proposed alterations also require further detail before the impact on the listed building can be fully understood.”

Refusing the application this week, planning officers said: “Planning decisions should plan positively for the provision and use of shared spaces, community facilities and other local services to enhance the sustainability of communities and residential environments.

“In terms of offering a community facility and meeting place this would not be completely lost but consideration and justification of the historical use is required in order to accept the loss of the Public House.”

The bedsits would each have enough space for two people, and planners pointed out that this would mean eight people could live in the accommodation at any one time.

These future residents would share one bathroom and one toilet.

Planners said: “Given that there is potential for eight occupants, these facilities are inadequate.

“There is no shared common/lounge area and no outdoor amenity space allocated for this use.

“In light of these concerns, it is considered that the proposal fails to provide an acceptable standard of amenity for future residents.”

Other reasons for refusal was a lack of information about parking on the site, of any planned extraction flues and proposals to replace part of the roof.

A listed building application for the work was also refused.

The Black Swan application is one of a number of proposals to re-purpose long standing Bradford pubs to have been submitted this year.

In May an application to convert the listed New Beehive Inn on Westgate into Bradford city centre into offices was submitted by Sakhawat Hussain.

A decision on that application has yet to be made, but Mr Ackroyd has also raised concerns about the Beehive plans, saying the work could lead to the loss of the pub’s famous interior.

He said: “The application does not properly identify the significance of the heritage asset and consider how the proposals impact upon the aspects of that significance.

“The pub heritage of Bradford is much reduced, with other listed pubs already having succumbed to alternative uses.

“Compelling justification would be expected to make a case as to why the original use could not be continued and a change of use is sought.

“It would be expected that evidence would be presented of what measures had been taken to achieve the continued original use before alternatives were considered.”