Plans Submitted for 40 Homes on Former Pub Site Linked to Film

The disused and waste-strewn plot where a pub once stood, notable for its appearance in a well-known film and play, may be transformed into 40 residential units if a planning application receives approval. The Beacon pub, situated in Buttershaw, Bradford, which was torn down in 2019, served as a setting in productions by playwright Andrea Dunbar, including the 1987 movie Rita, Sue and Bob Too. Dunbar’s creative output drew inspiration from the Buttershaw estate and various other areas of the city, earning acclaim for illuminating aspects of 1980s society that were frequently overlooked. Collaborate Living, the applicant, stated that its “high-quality housing scheme” aims to “re-develop a stalled brownfield site, which is currently overgrown and experiencing waste dumping and vandalism.” Andrea Dunbar frequently wrote at The Beacon, located on Reevy Road West, and it was at this establishment that she experienced a brain haemorrhage, resulting in her death at the age of 29 in 1990. Since the closure of the pub, which originated in the 1960s, in 2016, numerous proposals have emerged for constructing residential and commercial properties on the land. The pub was demolished in 2019 as part of a scheme to construct 18 homes, a project that ultimately did not materialize. The parcel of land stayed vacant and became a frequent target for illegal waste dumping, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The most recent proposal presented to Bradford Council outlines 40 apartments, comprising a combination of one and two-bedroom units, along with 32 parking spaces on the premises, bicycle parking facilities, and landscaped zones. This application, submitted by affordable housing organization Collaborate Living, highlights that the council had previously designated the site as appropriate for residential development, marking it as the third attempt to redevelop the location within the last five years. The application indicates that residents of Buttershaw were consulted regarding these plans during the summer. While some individuals expressed approval for a new purpose for the site and anticipated local job creation from its construction, others voiced worries concerning increased traffic and potential anti-social conduct. A determination regarding this most recent application is anticipated in March.