"Ambitious” £43.5m Bradford city centre transformation due to begin construction

The next phase of Bradford’s “ambitious” regeneration plans to position the district perfectly for its new future is to begin this summer.

Work to transform the look and feel of Bradford city centre and build on the city’s ‘incredible architectural legacy’ is set to begin from July 10 as part of a scheme delivered by Bradford Council, in partnership with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The works are being delivered through the Combined Authority’s Transforming Cities Fund programme, which is aimed at making it easier for people to walk, cycle and use public transport.

Set to deliver the ‘perfect stage’ for the City of Culture celebrations in 2025, a series of new public spaces will be created through the pedestrianisation of some roads, while existing spaces will be brought up to a similar high standard.

The new spaces will feature ‘high-quality’ paving and landscaping, with new green areas, planting and seating, delivering spaces for public events and gatherings. A new ‘linear park’ will be created to replace the majority of the existing road space on Hall Ings, featuring new trees and other types of planting.

Demolition of the NCP car park is also due to start from late July 2023 to enable a new access point to the Interchange. Together, these elements will create a dramatically improved sense of arrival to the city centre for visitors and commuters alike.

Alongside this, improved cycle routes will be created across the city centre connecting current and planned cycle routes, while enabling people to travel around and across the city in a more sustainable way.

Creating new “attractive” public spaces, reducing pollution and making it easier for people to get around the city centre without negotiating heavy traffic is seen as crucial to creating the right environment to boost the city centre residential population, attract new employers, and create an appropriate setting for the city centre as a thriving visitor destination.

Work on the city centre project will be constructed in two phases. The first phase will see enabling works on roads and pavements around the city centre. This phase of work will create new routes for bus services around the city centre’s heart. Bus services will move to the new routes from February 2024.

The second phase of construction works will begin in 2024 and will create the new public spaces and walking and cycling routes in the city centre, with the majority of work due to be completed in time for the City of Culture celebrations starting in 2025. The scale of the works being undertaken over 18 months in the city centre is ‘unprecedented’ in recent decades.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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