THE way is almost clear for food giant Aldi to start work on a new store in Bingley as Bradford Council has now agreed terms with the Highways Agency over its purchase of a necessary strip of land.

Ward councillors and the town's MP Philip Davies have received notice from estate surveyor Ivor James informing them that negotiations were conducted "quite quickly" and that legal process is under way to transfer the land on the edge of the town centre site.

Progress had been delayed while the Highways Agency tried to secure a fair market price for the site in keeping with its responsibilities to the public purse.

And while that sale price is not being disclosed, the transfer is well under way, a Bradford Council spokesman said yesterday:

"This purchase has not yet been completed. It is expected to take place in the near future," he said.

The project suffered a delay after the Highways Agency discovered the strip was needed for a financially significant supermarket development - having initially agreed to hand over the land to Bradford Council for a nominal fee.

Minister of State for Transport John Hayes explained the situation in a letter to Shipley MP Mr Davies: "The Agency understood that the land transfer was required to regularise the Council's land boundaries.

"Recent correspondence has highlighted that it is needed as part of the important Aldi development in Waterloo Road."

"The Agency is committed to completing the sale as soon as possible, however it is required under 'Managing Public Money' to ensure that any transfers between public bodies are at market value."

The Council will, in turn, sell the land to Aldi for the development.

Mr Davies has campaigned to speed up the creation of a new store and said he was pleased this hurdle had been cleared.

"I'm delighted this has now been resolved - it's just a shame it's taken so long.

"Hopefully Aldi can now get cracking and deliver the supermarket which everyone in Bingley is waiting for."

Councillor David Heseltine (Con, Bingley) also welcomed the development.

"A little bit of pressure has been exerted and I'm pleased things are coming to fruition. Now we await news from Aldi as to when work will actually start on site," he said.

No-one at Aldi was available for comment.