A new shopper-friendly Kirkgate Square is to be created in Bradford city centre as part of a £1 million investment.

The development, and a wider revamp of Kirkgate, is designed to create an attractive thoroughfare linking Westfield’s under-construction Broadway development with city-centre stalwart the Kirkgate Centre.

The square will be formed at the junction of Kirkgate and Darley Street, and will feature semi-mature trees, raised grassy areas and informal granite seats similar to those found in nearby City Park.

Along the length of the road, new natural stone paving will be put in to replace the existing concrete slabs and grey herringbone surface.

The revamp is designed to tempt shoppers visiting the Broadway centre to explore stores in the higher end of the city centre too.

Bradford Council’s leader, Councillor David Green, said: “The new Kirkgate square will create an informal meeting space and seating area and turning the whole street into a green, pleasant space should increase footfall from both visitors and residents.

“We are putting in this investment to ensure visitors flow to and from the new Westfield shopping development to the higher end of the city centre so that Bradford is a desirable shopping destination in its entirety.

“Work will be complete by December this year.”

The project forms the last part of a wider improvement scheme, which began with City Park, Darley Street, Prince’s Way and Market Street.

Val Summerscales, secretary of Bradford Chamber of Trade, which represents small businesses, said: “We would support any initiative that aimed to facilitate a better link between the existing city centre and the proposed Westfield site. It’s crucial that a pedestrianised link is maintained.”

Catherine Riley, manager of the Kirkgate Centre, said: “We are looking forward to Kirkgate being brought up to the same standard as the rest of the improved areas in the city centre.”

A report on the proposed Kirkgate improvements will go before a meeting of the Council’s executive on Tuesday, February 18.