A DERELICT pub in Braithwaite could be transformed into a nursery.

Plans have been submitted to Bradford Council to change the Braithwaite Tavern into a nursery/crèche with a flat above.

Ward councillors Jan Smithies and Adrian Farley have welcomed the proposal for the long-empty building on Braithwaite Avenue.

Cllr Smithies, who represents Keighley West ward on Bradford Council, said the building would become a community resource.

She said: “It has been an eyesore and a focus for dumping and anti-social behaviour.

“We would like to thank the new owners for securing the site, which is already improving the look of the area and making life a little easier for residents who live in that immediate area of the estate.”

The Braithwaite Tavern was for many years known as the Timothy Taylors, and changed its name more than a decade ago. It has been closed for about nine years.

Former district councillor Keith Dredge last year led a campaign to bring the building back into use, following complaints from nearby residents.

The eyesore property, which became a magnet for vandalism, fly tipping and anti-social behaviour, lies opposite a five-year-old complex that comprises Merlin Top and Phoenix schools, as well as the Kingfisher Community Centre.