Bronte Works: New housing to be built just yards from Brontes' birthplace if council approves plan to demolish 'discordant' workshop

In March 2019 over 50 firefighters were called to Bronte Works in the historic village of Thornton after reports of a blaze at Bronte Works.

It was later discovered that the fire had been caused when a car that was being repaired in the workshop caught fire.

The blaze spread through the building, leaving the roof of the scrap vehicle workshop destroyed.

Now a new planning application has been submitted to Bradford Council that would see the works demolished and six houses built in its place.

Thornton’s biggest claim to fame is being the birthplace of the Bronte sisters. Bronte Works is just yards from the Market Street house in which the literary trio were born.

The application says: “Bronte Works is a discordant feature with its neighbours, and makes no connection to the historic context of Thornton Village.”

It said while it would be possible to re-build the workshop, it has been decided housing would be a more suitable use of the site.

A decision on the application is expected in August.