Aparthotel with Shops and Rooftop Café Proposed for City Site

A new proposal has been made to construct a “contemporary boutique aparthotel” on the outskirts of Bradford city centre. This development, which includes 32 rooms, four ground-floor shops, and a rooftop café offering “panoramic views across Bradford,” is planned for a triangular plot of land at the junction of Thornton Road and Listerhills Road. This site has a complex recent planning history.

The applicant, Mi7 Developments, states that the project will be “strategically positioned to serve students, visiting academics, professionals, and tourists.” The application was submitted to Bradford Council just before Christmas, with a decision expected in the spring. If approved, the development could create 10 full-time and 20 part-time jobs in an area that has struggled with vacant sites and derelict buildings in recent years.

A Site with a Complex Past

The small triangular site has recently been part of a broader plan to transform this section of Thornton Road. In 2023, plans to build over 300 flats, shops, a petrol station, and a drive-thru café on three neighboring sites, including this one, were approved by Bradford Council. However, those plans faced uncertainty when the largest of the three sites—a former car park on Thornton Road—was announced as the future location of an energy centre. Construction on that building is already underway.

The drive-thru component of the original plan is set to become a Starbucks, and the construction of that part is nearly complete. Additionally, approval has been given for another drive-thru restaurant on the same site. There is also an ongoing planning application seeking permission to build a data centre on that site.

The triangular site referenced in the new application was previously the subject of another planning request: a proposal to establish a vintage van as a street food business for a two-year period. That plan was approved in 2023, and since then, a static café has been built on the site.

Design and Purpose of the New Aparthotel

The new planning application highlights the significance of the triangular plot along Thornton Road. It states that the aparthotel is designed to enhance the visual character of the area and strengthen pedestrian connections between the University Campus and the city centre.

Several parcels of land within the Listerhills Triangle have remained undeveloped, with multiple applications submitted over the past decade. Part of the site now accommodates an Energy Centre, while the remainder is earmarked for complementary residential and commercial uses. The proposed aparthotel is part of a wider regeneration vision, introducing high-quality short-stay accommodation that supports both the University and the city centre.

The scheme is strategically positioned to serve students, visiting academics, professionals, and tourists, contributing to the local economy of Bradford and strengthening the area’s identity as a vibrant learning and innovation district.

Unique Design for a Compact Space

Referring to the unusual shape of the small plot, the application notes that the TriResi Boutique Aparthotel has been designed to make efficient use of the compact triangular site. The concept responds directly to the geometry of the site, producing a distinctive architectural form that engages all street frontages.

The design combines retail and café spaces at ground level with serviced accommodation above, and a rooftop café and terrace, creating an animated, multi-layered building that remains active throughout the day and evening. The client’s vision is to create a unique, intimate, luxury offer that provides high-quality accommodation within a carefully designed space.

Each unit delivers comfort, privacy, and contemporary character, combining the independence of apartment living with the sophistication of a boutique hotel experience. The rooftop level houses a food and café unit with an outdoor terrace, providing panoramic views across the city. The space offers both social and leisure value, complementing the building’s hospitality function and contributing to its identity as a local destination.

Broader Trends in Urban Development

Plans to build a 104-bed aparthotel on Sunbridge Road were approved by Bradford Council in February. The Listerhills application suggests that these developments indicate a shift in the city centre towards a mix of residential, retail, and leisure spaces.

It notes that complementary developments, including the approved Sunbridge Road Aparthotel for 104 beds and the High Point residential conversion, reinforce this direction of change. Both projects illustrate increasing investor confidence in Bradford’s city-centre living and hospitality markets.