Member Article

Contruction of delayed £260 million Bradford Westfield has begun, creating 1500 new jobs

Westfield, the global shopping centre developer is on site and developing in Bradford city centre in a project that will create 1500 jobs.

Due to open in 2015, the 570,000 sq ft Broadway shopping centre will encourage economic activity in Bradford.

Major tenants already signed up to the scheme include Debenhams, Marks and Spencer, Next, Topshop, Topman and Sainsbury’s.

The construction alone will provide 1,500 job opportunities including 15 apprenticeships. Post-opening, the development is expected to create around 2,500 permanent new jobs in retail and hospitality.

Westfield is working with Bradford Council to maximise those job opportunities for the local community.

There has been a 12-acre building site in the centre of the city since work was halted in February 2008, because of the financial crisis.

The site has been named the “Bradford hole” by local residents, and there have been protests at the eyesore for several years.

Eligible companies creating new jobs in the city centre are able to access a range of benefits through the City Centre Growth Zone, including business rate rebates and capital and premises improvement grants.

The City Centre Growth Zone is a £35 million initiative funded by Bradford Council and Government’s Regional Growth Fund.

Bradford has a catchment of almost one million consumers with a weighted annual spend potential of £623 million.

This is forecast to grow by more than £250 million on completion of the Broadway development. Smart investors and businesses are already realising the huge investment potential that this scheme has in terms of profitability and impact on Bradford city centre and the wider local economy.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .