PROPOSALS to convert a city centre office building into 76 one-bed flats have been blocked by Bradford Council, with highways officers raising concerns about a lack of cycle parking spaces.

Planning officers also pointed out that the application, for Park House on Well Street, did not clearly show how people would access some flats - as doors were not marked on the plans for the building.

The office building, between the Broadway Shopping Centre and Little Germany, has been empty for a number of years.

Unlike many of the grand, Victorian buildings surrounding it, Park House is a much plainer, 1960s office building.

There have been numerous proposals to convert the building into flats over recent years, with “permitted development” for 59 flats in the building being granted last year.

They would have been a mix of studio flats, one bed and two bed flats.

Permitted Development was introduced by the Conservative government several years ago, and allows developers to convert empty office space into flats without the need for planning permission.

Government changes mean developers can convert buildings to flats without the need for planning permission

Planning authorities can only block such schemes if they would lead to highways issues, or raise environmental health concerns.

The new application, by Robert Issler, sought permission for an extra 17 flats on top of the previously approved 59 to be created in the building.

The flats in the latest plans would all be one bedroom flats.

Despite the limitations on blocking permitted development applications, Bradford Council have now refused the plans.

Planning officers cited a lack of detail in the application, and highway concerns - pointing out that there should be at least one cycle parking space for each flat in a development of this kind.

14 car parking spaces would be created in the building’s basement, but highways officers felt not all of these were big enough.

Council Heritage officer Jon Ackroyd said the building as it is made a “negative contribution” to the protected Little Germany area of the city, but said the plans were still too vague about how the redevelopment would alter the building’s appearance.

Planning officers also raised concerns about how vague parts of the application were, adding: “the proposed floor plans show that the proposal would fail to provide access to adequate natural light for all habitable rooms, as well as not making it clear as to how access would be gained to the apartments as no doors are marked on the plans.”

Referring to the parking situation, Highways officers said: “For this use in a City Centre location a development should provide one cycle space per unit and this should be secure covered and lockable.

“The basement plan shows only 16 cycle spaces for the 76 apartments proposed, which would not be acceptable.”

They were also critical of the plans for car parking, saying: “The proposed basement layout plan shows that 14 vehicle parking spaces are to be provided however all would require a clear 6m in front for access/egress.

“This is not being achieved for most of the spaces shown. Those spaces where the 6m requirement cannot be met should be omitted from the scheme.”