Hare and Hounds pub in Heaton to become shops and flats

A planning application to develop the prominent site of the vacant Hare and Hounds, a once-popular pub and restaurant on Toller Lane, Heaton, was first submitted last year.

The work would involve the ground floor of the building, the last pub in the area, being converted into three shops – including a convenience store, with its upper floors turned into flats.

Four townhouses would be built on the large car park area on the same site.

How the site looks now (Image: Newsquest)

But the application, by Dawatt Enterprise Ltd, was refused by a planning panel earlier this year.

Members had raised concerns that a number of trees on the site had been felled and refused the application due to the impact on local biodiversity.

Current planning policy requires developments to include a boost, or “net gain” in biodiversity. This means that when the development is completed, there must be a greater level of biodiversity, including trees and greenery, than there was before the work.

The plans were resubmitted this summer – with more detail into how this biodiversity would be achieved.

Grassland, including wildflower areas, would be created in communal spaces on the site, and 20 “urban trees” would be planted.

A flashback to 2006 when the Hare & Hounds was a popular pub (Image: T&A)

However, this would still not be enough to meet the development’s biodiversity obligations. The application says the developer would help fund works to improve green spaces off-site to meet this target.

Like the previous application, there had been a number of objections to the second set of plans, with 25 people writing to Bradford Council urging planners to again throw out the application.

Objectors feared the new shops would bring anti-social behaviour, noise, and traffic.

But approving the development this month, planning officers pointed out the site has long been in use as a pub, with late opening hours.

Highways officers felt the 38 parking spaces proposed for the shops and flat would be adequate, and the developer had agreed to provide two spaces for each of the townhouses.

Biodiversity officers agreed that the measures proposed in the amended plans were enough to overcome the previous reason for refusal.

Additional conditions are that the developer will be required to fit at least six bird boxes and six bat boxes.

Biodiversity officers added: “Any garden fencing should include suitable holes to allow the passage of hedgehogs into and through the site.”