Bradford Urban Garden will close on Monday so work can start on the city’s long-awaited £260 million shopping centre.

Signs were placed at entrances to the temporary landscaped space, on the site of the proposed Broadway retail development, today.

The 11,000 sq ft park, with grassed areas, wild flower meadows and pathways across the city, was created in August 2010 after initial work on the project stopped.

Last month, Australian developer Westfield announced that construction would restart early in January after all legal documents meaning the scheme would definitely go-ahead were signed.

Westfield hoardings will go up around the site to ensure it is safe and secure so that the building work can start.

The shopping centre, which will include leading high street names such as Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, River Island and WH Smith, is scheduled to open in December 2015.