A fashion business headquartered in Bradford has received the green light to establish what has been described as a flagship retail outlet, with the company’s chief executive describing the initiative as significant for the local area.
The consent granted enables Janan, situated on Shearbridge Road, to construct an additional two floors onto its current premises.
The development will not only enhance the building’s external appearance but will also provide substantially increased storage capacity for the company.
Furthermore, the expansion will create additional retail floor space enabling the business to stock a broader selection of garments.
The previous proposal encountered rejection from Bradford Council during the preceding year, with planning officials expressing concern that the proposed development, positioned near the edge of the central shopping district, could potentially divert customers away from established town centre retailers.
However, the company subsequently lodged a revised planning submission, which included an analysis of the existing retail provision within the city centre.
According to the documentation provided, the city centre possesses a robust variety of commercial uses and is undergoing considerable investment that will bring additional diversity including residential units and increased pedestrian activity.
The submission further stated that given this proposal constitutes an enlargement of an established trading location rather than a new operation, relocating the enterprise to the established city centre would not prove feasible.
The application documentation indicated that to maintain this particular branch as the company’s headquarters and flagship location, the proposed warehouse facilities are essential.
Without these additional storage areas for both retail and online operations, the business would need to identify alternative premises, most probably outside the Bradford district.
Janan established its first outlet in Bradford in 2010 and has since grown to encompass ten stores throughout the United Kingdom.
Following the granting of planning permission, Asif Khan, Group Chief Executive at Janan, expressed satisfaction at securing the consent.
He explained that following the earlier decision, the company collaborated extensively with professional advisors to address all concerns raised and supply the information and technical specifications required to enable the council to reach this outcome.
He further stated that this extension represents a significant investment for both the company and Bradford, facilitating growth of the flagship operation, creation of additional employment positions and stimulation of further economic activity within the local area.
The intention also includes attracting greater numbers of visitors from across the United Kingdom and internationally to Bradford while strengthening the city’s position as a retail destination.
Khan emphasised that Bradford serves as the company’s home and has remained central to Janan since its establishment.
As the business continues its national and international expansion, that growth is intended to translate into further investment and opportunities within the city.
The development scheme has been overseen by Morf Architecture, a Bradford-based practice, working in conjunction with Empace Civil and Structural Engineers and Consult North, which handled quantity surveying and project management responsibilities.
Ayaz Khan, Lead Architect at Morf Architecture, explained that the objective from the beginning was to embody Janan’s brand identity through the architectural design, placing particular emphasis on sophistication, carefully balanced facade composition and a distinctive welcome experience.
The facade has been designed as a layered arrangement, drawing influence from fashion, textiles and haute couture to establish depth and an refined visual presence.
The practice expressed particular satisfaction at delivering a substantial investment for an established Bradford enterprise and looked forward to advancing the scheme through detailed design work and into construction.
Professor Ummer Daraz, Managing Director at Empace Civil and Structural Engineers and Visiting Professor at the University of Bradford, noted that this constitutes a technically demanding project, primarily because the existing store must continue trading throughout the construction phase.
The structural and construction methodology has been meticulously organised around this requirement, enabling the extension to proceed while limiting disruption to ongoing business activities.
He added that the project will provide an instructive engineering case study and he anticipated sharing elements of the work with University of Bradford students.
Janan will now collaborate with its professional team to advance the development through detailed design phases and toward commencement of construction works.