A YORKSHIRE restaurant group has revealed that it plans to spend over £2.5 million on a development including a “centre of excellence” for foreign cuisine.

The Kingfisher House redevelopment by Jinnah Group and Mi7 Developments, will include a restaurant, events space, hotel and training centre, and create more than 150 jobs. It will be one of the largest banqueting and conference venues in the North.

The Telegraph & Argus first reported on the plans last month, and more details have now been revealed.

Jinnah Group bought Kingfisher House, based on Filey Street, with a £650,000 loan from Lloyds Bank, and plans to invest more than £2.5million into converting the building.

The 35,000 sq ft development will also house a specialist “Centre of Excellence” in Asian cuisine chef training, where students will obtain classroom learning combined with on the job experience in the on-site restaurant.

There will also be a boutique hotel with 25 beds supporting the events space. The venue will also have a large car parking facility, offering approximately over 250 spaces, making it suitable for large parties.

Saleem Akhtar, managing director at Jinnah Group, said: “Our plans for Kingfisher House will help cement Bradford’s title as the UK’s curry capital, with our Centre of Excellence training school providing highly skilled chefs for the growing industry."

Lee Rycraft, relationship director for SME Banking at Lloyds Bank, said: “The redevelopment of Kingfisher House will create a significant source of employment in the city, while injecting a new lease of life to a disused building and the surrounding area."

A planning application for the development was submitted to Bradford Council last month, and a decision is expected before the end of summer.