Punch Taverns is seeking planning permission to build houses on land around two of its Bradford pubs.

It says developing land at the Black Swan Hotel in Frizinghall and at the Red Lion Hotel in Manchester Road is a way of keeping the businesses open while the economic downturn hits hard.

But campaigners for real ale in the city are taking a cautious view of the proposals. They say that to “squash” new houses round pubs and do away with open space could actually backfire on business, making pubs less attractive.

Punch Taverns wants to build four three-bedroom houses and three four-bedroom homes with parking and garden landscaping on the disused car park, identified as a brownfield site, opposite the Black Swan, known locally as the Mucky Duck.

And the pub chain is hoping to renew permission given in 2010 for nine homes and a new pub car park to be built at the Red Lion site, close to some 19th century sandstone cottages which have Grade II listed building status.

A Punch Taverns spokesman said: “We believe that the Black Swan car park is currently surplus to requirements and we plan to better utilise the land, which is prone to fly-tipping, and improve the area for the local community.”

He said the Red Lion application had been re-submitted after it expired and again the idea was to put the land to better use.

Bradford CAMRA chairman David Boothroyd said developing land was of no major concern but he is concerned at how far it could go.

“It’s easy to see the pubs “accidentally” going with the land, in order to make the deal more attractive, and then it’s more pubs lost.

“Old pubs have space around them for reasons. Car parking, beer gardens, bowling greens, space to breathe. Things to bring people in. Squash a load of houses or businesses around them and they become far less attractive. Then, guess what? Trade will be deemed to be too low to be viable and closure and sale follows,” he said.

In a statement supporting the Black Swan application, Punch Taverns said many public houses have found the recent economic downturns very hard on business and that pub sites were often larger than they need to be in this modern age for their core activity of drinking, eating and entertaining.

“Many have a legacy of coaching inns, unused bowling greens and sprawling gardens, where they are little used or urban fabric has developed around them, diminishing their appeal. In order to keep the these public houses viable our client is pursuing a route to lose the liability of sprawling vacant sites whilst creating a business income related to that site to bolster the income and help pubs survive.”

The applications come as Punch Taverns announces its Shipley Pride cask ale pub in Shipley is enjoying a boost in trade since it reopened its doors in February after a £107,000 revamp jointly funded by it and licensee Rob Clayton.

People wanting to comment on plans for the Black Swan and Red Lion have until April 19 to either e-mail planning.applications@bradford.gov.uk or write to the Planning Service at Jacobs Well, Bradford BD1 5RW.