Disputed Restoration Plans For 17th Century Listed Building Refused

Proposals to convert one of the oldest surviving buildings in Bradford into a restaurant and set of offices have been refused, highlighting a major discussion on the importance of purpose in listed building restoration.

Royds Hall, in Bradford, is a Grade II* listed building surrounded by other original features and buildings that are also Grade II listed.

The applicants, Mr & Mrs Hussain from Prohaus Design, had intended to turn the historic outbuilding into a restaurant, with room for offices and light commercial use.

These proposals were rejected due to a lack of detail and concern the plans would damage the character of the listed building and the setting.

The historic complex has a long history, dating back to the 14th Century. King Henry V donated it to the Rooke family as a gift, and it has been the resting site of major historical events since.

At one point the Reverend Joseph Dawson would buy the property and would allow his friend Joseph Priestly to stay there. It is believed many of the experiments that helped him to discover Oxygen were undertaken at Royds Hall.

The proposed plans, which were heavily criticised by neighbours, local historical groups and Historic England, would have divided the outbuilding into four separate buildings, leading to questions about potential damage to the property. 

As well as this, the site is not currently well suited to large groups of people, with insufficient parking space and a single unsurfaced road being the only access.

According to local residents, this lane is already an issue due to be primarily a public footpath that is difficult to navigate in bad weather.

The council did note that inherently changing the use of the building is not the issue at hand but instead criticised a “fundamental lack of understanding” about how significant the building is to the local area.