An empty listed wool warehouse is to be transformed into a £3m city living scheme by developers.

Leeds-based Landmark Development Projects is building on the success of its two other schemes in which city centre buildings have been converted into a total of 146 apartments.

Now the company has applied for planning permission to transform the 38,000 sq ft Grade Two listed Colonial Buildings in Sunbridge Road into a further 45 one and two bedroom apartments. They will be priced between £65,000 and £85,000.

The huge warehouse, which has been empty for eight years, is in the heart of the Goitside quarter of the city where there are plans for major regeneration. It is close to the planned multi-million pound Southgate redevelopment by Yorkshire Co-operatives which will include refurbished Sunwin House, leisure, bars and a hotel.

Today Jonathan Wright, chairman of the Goitside Regeneration Partnership - made up of organisations and businesses - welcomed the Colonial Buildings scheme as a major boost to the area.

He said: "The 45 apartments and the people who will go with them are very good news indeed for Goitside. It demonstrates the confidence of Landmark and there are a lot of other opportunities here for development."

Landmark has already transformed Ivegate House in Bridge Street - the former Council-owned office block - into 15 flats which have all been snapped up.

Half of the 91 apartments being developed in a former office complex in nearby Broadgate House have also been taken.

Landmark managing director Richard Morton said: "We are excited about the potential that Colonial Buildings will have as it will make a further opportunity for owner occupiers to make the most of city living.

"Leeds has reaped the benefits of a thriving city residential market and - as a city seeking to put its recent past behind it and move forward with new confidence - Bradford is the ideal location to further develop the city living phenomenon in Yorkshire."

Landmark has invested £15 million in Bradford in the past two years with housing, leisure and industrial developments and Mr Morton said the figure would increase as more developments came on stream.