Refurbishment plan for former Blind Institute is approved

The building, at the corner of North Parade and Upper Piccadilly, is currently home to a number of ground floor businesses, including a tattoo parlour.

A recent application submitted to Bradford Council revealed plans to replace modern features on the building to better reflect the Grade II listed property’s heritage features.

The work would include the removal of anti-ram bollards to the front of the tattoo parlours – a feature from the time the unit was a bank, the removal of some of the “poor quality” shop fronts and security grilles and the refurbishment of features such as adding traditional timber frontages.

One of the ground floor shop fronts on the building (Image: T&A)

The application said: “The modern shopfronts detract from the visual quality of the group of buildings, and that there are a number of arears of disrepair intended to be made good.”

Submitted by Kulwant Johal, the plans say the developer will seek Townscape Heritage Funding – lottery funding that can be provided to restore heritage buildings that have been blighted by modern additions.

Bradford Council’s Conservation Officer Jon Ackroyd said: “These alterations are considered to be appropriate and even though these are relatively ‘light touch’ they will result in some improvements to the appearance of the shopfronts and signage and thus the overall building.”

The plans have been approved.