OFFICE space in a listed city centre building could be converted into apartments if new plans are approved.

Grade II-listed Equity Chambers, on the corner of Piccadilly and Duke Street, was built as a wool warehouse in the 1890s.

The upper floors of the building have already been converted into flats, and the ground floor and first floor has most recently been used as a Gordons Solicitors’ office.

The company relocated to a more modern building in the city centre, on New Augustus Street, in 2018.

Now a planning application has been submitted to Bradford Council to convert much of the remaining office space in the Duke Street building into 24 flats.

The site is a short distance from one of the biggest regeneration projects in Bradford - the planned Darley Street Market which will be built on the site of the former Marks & Spencer building on Darley Street.

The application, submitted by Blackshaw Holdings, is for 19 one-bed flats and five two-bed flats on the first floor, ground floor and basement.

The flats will range in size from to 38 square metres to 105 square metres.

Video shows planned Marks & Spencer demolition and Darley Street Market development

They will be marketed as rental properties if planning permission is granted, and there will be cycle parking on site.

A cobbled courtyard area will be refurbished as part of the development.

Ground floor space used by charity Refugee Action is not included in the plans.

The application says the office space was from a time when businesses needed large spaces to store paperwork and files - something no longer needed due to modern IT systems.

It says: “The existing offices are extremely large with 1,662 square metres space on the ground and first floor and 576 square metres of storage at basement level. They are therefore unsuitable for most modern commercial businesses which no longer require large areas to store files and large office spaces.

“This is a result of changing work practices which has been underlined by the recent Coronavirus restrictions leading to more people working from home.”

Referring to the planned conversion, the application adds: “The existing building has good access to local services and facilities, being sited in a central location.

“The proposed basement, ground floor and first floor apartments will provide good quality town centre living accommodation with good access to shops, facilities and transport links.”

When the building was listed alongside neighbouring building in 1994 Historic England described it as “A large scale and architecturally impressive group of late Victorian wool warehouses and offices.”

Further down Piccadilly work has started on the demolition of the former M&S building. That work is due to take place for much of this year, and will be followed by construction of Darley Street Market. The multi million pound development will include a city square linking Darley Street and Piccadilly.

Two other new businesses just yards from the site will soon be opening too.

Piccadeli, a long empty cafe opposite the building, is re-opening, and a vacant unit on Duke Street is being converted to a cafe and bar by the owners of nearby Als Juke Bar.

A decision on the planning application is expected in August.