The Change of Use of Listed Buildings
In many cases historic buildings no longer serve the purpose for which they were built for, therefore a change of use is seen as the best way forward. Often, new usage of these buildings can stimulate further regeneration of the surrounding area. There are many options that can be considered with imagination combined with sensitivity of the character of the listed building and good design. Some examples within Bradford are listed below.
Salt’s Mill, Saltaire
This Lockwood and Mawson mill designed and built for Sir Titus Salt has been transformed from industrial to a popular museum and art gallery exhibiting the work of David Hockney’s works
Wool Exchange, Bradford
Competition winning design of 1864 by Lockwood and Mawson, this building was a bustling market hall of the wool trade.
Nowadays, it has a range of uses including retail and commercial. Its new glass frontage has been commended for its good urban design.
Further case studies of the change of use to listed buildings that at some point have been classified as a building at risk can be found in the ‘Success Stories’ section on this site.
Bradford Council welcomes discussions about the future of such buildings. The change of use must be appropriate to the local area as well as sensitive to the building itself. Such proposals will have to seek further advice from the local authority and may have to submit a planning application along with an application for Listed Building Consent.
