AN application to demolish a Bradford pub and replace it with a new development of shops and flats has been refused.

Among the reasons that planning officers refused the plans for the Red House pub site on Barkerend Road was that the application did not include enough information on whether the air quality in the area was "suitable for residential exposure."

Once one of the most popular pubs in the Barkerend Road area of the city, Red House dates back to 1850.

It has been shut for a number of years, and last month an application to demolish the building and replace it with a new building made up of five shops and sixteen flats was submitted to Bradford Council.

The application would have created 270 square metres of retail space on the ground floor - four opening onto Barkerend Road and another onto Garnett Street.

The residential part of the development would have included eight two bed flats and eight one bed flats spread out over the two upper floors.

There would have also been parking for four cars.

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Submitted by a Mr Pollard, the application said: "The existing building is currently in very poor condition.

"There are exposed brick walls throughout and the roof structure is exposed and is not water tight. Extensive works are needed to repair the building structurally, which would require the roof, internal walls and floors to be removed.

“If left, the building would further deteriorate from exposure to weather and potentially become a dangerous structure."

31 letters of support for the plans had been sent to the Council, claiming the building was an eyesore and that the new development would be an improvement for the area.

However, planning officers have refused the scheme, listing several issues such as a lack of affordable housing and "insufficient information" on how future residents would be protected from the air pollution generated on the busy road.

They said: "The proposed residential premises are to be located close to Barkerend Road and could be adversely impacted on by traffic pollution.

"In order to fully assess the impact of the proposal an air quality exposure assessment should be submitted to show that air quality conditions at this location are suitable for residential exposure.

"Insufficient evidence has been submitted to show that the proposal will not be adversely affected traffic pollution/air quality."

Officers said that the proposed four parking spaces was much too low considering the development would include 16 flats and five shops.

A lack of cycle parking spaces meant people living in the flats would have to carry bicycles up flights of stairs.

Officers added: "Based on the proposed layout of the site there is a significant shortfall with the proposed development in terms of both vehicular and cycle parking, and the proposal is considered to be overdevelopment of the site.

"Insufficient justification has been submitted with the application to support the level of parking proposed."

They said a development of this size would normally require 15 per cent of the homes to be classed as affordable housing.

The officers' report said: "In this instance the requirement would be 2 units and the Applicant has neither agreed to this provision nor submitted a Financial Viability Appraisal to show that the provision cannot be justified through abnormal costs associated with the development."