PLANS to transform the former Morrisons head office in Bradford into a retail and leisure site have been given the go-ahead.

The supermarket group has been handed planning permission by Bradford Council to build four shops, a restaurant and an industrial unit on the site of its former Hilmore House offices in Thornton Road, Girlington, Bradford.

The firm used the site, between Ingleby Road and Rosse Street, as its headquarters until it relocated to Gain Lane, Thornbury, in 2006.

The old Thornton Road office building was the firm’s home since 1971. Its warehousing there closed in 2012.

The new development is expected to create up to 100 jobs.

It will also feature 206 car parking spaces, which were reduced by almost a third following a public consultation last summer.

The offices and warehouses have since been pulled down and the site currently lies vacant and derelict, the planning application, submitted in August last year, said.

Morrisons held a public exhibition event to showcase plans for the new site with shoppers and residents.

John Robson, Morrisons property asset manager, said: “We are delighted that Bradford City Council has approved our proposals for the redevelopment of the Thornton Road site.

“This is an important Morrisons site and part of our heritage so we are pleased that we are able to invest in the site and create up to 100 new jobs in Bradford.

“This positive decision brings us a step closer to delivering a new quality retail and leisure destination which will revive this prominent site whilst complementing and enhancing Girlington District Centre.

“We will now progress discussion with potential occupiers and continue to work closely with the council to finalise our plans.

“In the meantime I would like to thank residents, shoppers and Bradford City Council for their support of our proposals.”

Meanwhile, Morrisons will become the new title sponsor of the UK’s biggest mass participation running series – Great Run.

The sponsorship will initially run for four years and started with the Great Winter Run and International Cross Country in Edinburgh on Saturday.

The sponsorship will cover eight city locations with 12 events, including the Great North Run, involving more than 220,000 runners.

MORE BUSINESS HEADLINES