THE imminent completion of regeneration projects that have been years in the making will give Bradford a much needed buzz.
This was one of the messages delivered at an event where Bradford was putting itself out on a national stage to promote the district.
UK REiif is a real estate and investment forum that was held in Leeds, and saw thousands of investors and developers from around the country descend on the area.
At the event, it was announced that Homes England had signed a partnership with West Yorkshire to develop housing sites in the area, that the English Cities Fund would work with Bradford Council to develop the planned “city village” and that the UK Infrastructure Bank was working with the Council to develop a new “Southern Gateway” station.
Bradford’s recent history has seen numerous stalled schemes, from the Westfield Shopping Centre becoming the “Bradford hole” for a decade before Broadway was built to the scrapped Forster Square Leisure scheme and Bradford Canal development.
But speaking at a Bradford Council event at UK REiiF, Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe said the District’s fortunes were improving, with a number of major regeneration schemes due to be completed in the next year.
Bradford Council event involved developers, businesses and potential investors.
Speaking to the crowd, Cllr Hinchcliffe said: “There has been a real buzz around Bradford at UK REiiF.
“We are the next UK City of Culture, and we can’t stop applauding that.
“This is our time. We say that a lot as part of City of Culture, and I know a lot of people have worked so hard to get here.
“We’re beginning to see a vision that was planned years ago being delivered.
“We can now see things coming out of the ground, nearing completion and ready to be opened.
“There is One City Park opening, Bradford Live, Darley Street Market.
“There is the refurbishments of the National Media Museum and Kala Sangam coming up. We also have all the work with the Keighley and Shipley Towns Funds.
“These will be transformational for the whole District, it will change lives.”
She referred to the City Village announcement made the day before, saying: “That will be a new period for the city centre, it is going to be transformational.
“We want to create a future we can be proud of, as well as a past.”
She also said the Council had recently had “good conversations” with the Department of Transport, adding: “I’m positive about that, but I don’t want to count my chickens yet.”
Referring to the City of Culture year, she said: “It is a year, but we won’t stop after, we’ll build on that momentum.”