The future of one of Bradford city centre’s most prominent buildings will be decided next week.
Located in the heart of the city centre, Grade II listed, art deco Sunwin House was built in the 1930s as a Co-Operative emporium, and has most recently been a TJ Hughes department store.
Despite being an important part of Bradford’s retail history, the building has been empty for 11 years – and has become increasingly decrepit over that time.
Earlier this year plans to breath new life into the building were finally revealed.
A planning application to turn the ground floor into a leisure use, including trampolining, indoor golf and virtual reality activities, was submitted to Bradford Council by Nusra Ali.
There would also be a café, consultation room for a health/nutrition specialist and a physiotherapy treatment room.
Work to repair the building’s decaying exterior will also be carried out if the plans are approved.
The business would be known as G.O.A.T Gaming, and the applicants said: “The building has great potential and by renovating it into a multi-use games facility it will attract people from the City and beyond.”
The current application only relates to the building’s ground floor.
The application will go before Bradford Council’s Bradford Area Planning Panel next Wednesday, when members will be advised to approve the plans.
They will also be told that 31 people have objected to the plans. Many of the objectors argue that there are already enough leisure businesses in the city centre.
One comment said: “They could come up with another idea.”
Another said: “Similar businesses operate within the area on North Parade another of the same is not needed.”
Some objectors said the development would go against the Bradford Clean Air Zone, while another said the plan would harm wildlife.
The report by planning officers says: “It is a listed building located on a prominent corner plot with active frontages on Godwin Street and Sunbridge Road.
“Externally the building displays bold Art Deco architecture and detailing, resulting in a contrasting presence to much of the city centre’s Victorian and Edwardian architecture.
“The uses proposed are appropriate in scale to the role of the city centre and surrounding uses. The surrounding uses consists of retail, pubs, restaurant, and office.
“The proposal will see a vacant site brought into use within a sustainable location.”
The panel will meet at 10am in City Hall next Wednesday.
