New court ‘ better for grieving families’

A LISTED building will become Bradford’s new Coroner’s Court after an application to transform the interior was approved.

Bradford Council has been working with the coroner’s service to try to find a new location for the court for a number of years.

The existing court, based within Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court, has been criticised as being an unsuitable facility for grieving families.

A building in Little Germany’s Cater Street was revealed as the chosen site of the new court earlier this year, and now a planning application to convert the building has been approved.

Bradford Council’s heritage officer Jon Ackroyd, said: “Essentially the works will maintain the existing character and significance. The building will be afforded a new use which will ensure its endurance for the future.”

The application is to turn the office building into a much more modern court than the existing facility, which includes family rooms, a faith room, larger waiting rooms, better jury facilities and multiple court rooms – which will allow several inquests to be held at the same time.

Approving the plans, officers said: “The proposal would bring an important facility into the area which would complement the host building and the area in which it is located”.

Coroner Martin Fleming has called for new court facilities for a number of years.

The existing coroner’s court requires grieving families to be searched by security guards before passing through a waiting area containing people accused of criminal acts awaiting their court appearance.

They then have to wait in a waiting room, often just yards from people who may have played a role in the death of their loved one.

The court is due to transfer into the Cater Street building in December.