CONTRACTS for work on the £275 million Broadway shopping centre have so far been awarded to 12 Yorkshire companies, it has been announced.

Developer Westfield says more than three quarters of the value of contracts at the site have to date gone to Bradford area firms.

The latest batch of contractors are carrying out a range of work on the 570,000 sq ft scheme, with Bradford companies involved in mechanical and electrical engineering, groundwork and concrete and security.

Bradford-based contractors include Pitts Wilson, Moortown Construction and Boss Security while Clearwell in Brighouse is providing pest control services. Other contracts have been award to suppliers in Thirsk, Doncaster, York, Ripon, Pontefract and Sheffield.

Moortown Construction, based on the Euroway trading estate, off the M606, was the first contractor to be appointed when construction work started six months ago. It has more than 90 employees working at Broadway and expects to be on the city centre site until Christmas .

Its involvement has created jobs for three apprentices through Bradford’s Apprenticeship Training Agency – set up by Bradford Council as part of the local authority’s Get Bradford Working programme. The firm is now seeking more apprentices along with more graduates after hiring a civil and structural engineering graduate from the University of Bradford.

Keith Whitmore, Westfield head of design and construction, said: “We remain committed to working with supply chain partners from across the region where practically possible and today’s announcement demonstrates the innovation and expertise that exists in many firms in Yorkshire.”

Mark Flude, managing director of Pitts Wilson, said: “With our history of over a century in business, we have partnered with another longstanding Bradford company Mitton Mechanical to provide the M&E services to this impressive project. Two local experienced companies employing local labour – a great tale to tell and boost to the Bradford economy."

Bradford Council Leader, Cllr David Green, said: "It's really good to see businesses from the Bradford district benefiting from the construction of the Broadway shopping centre and we welcome the boost in jobs this will bring to local people.

"We have invested in enhancing people's skills through setting up an Apprenticeship Training Agency as part of our Get Bradford Working programme to ensure local people could take up any opportunities that came their way. This major shopping development is a golden opportunity.

"In the long term, we hope the increased footfall the development will generate, will in turn boost existing businesses in the city centre and help the local economy go from strength to strength”

More than half of the space at the Broadway centre has been let, including to anchor tenant Debenhams , Marks & Spencer and Next, with further major UK retailers under negotiation.

The scheme will create around 1,500 construction jobs and 2,500 new retail jobs.

THE CONTRACTS

  • Pitts Wilson, of Bradford (engineering)
  • Moortown Construction, of Bradford (groundworks)
  • Boss Security, of Bradford (security)
  • Cementation Skanska, of Doncaster (piling)
  • Severfield-Rowen, of Thirsk (steelworks)
  • Foremans, of York (accommodation)
  • Benchmark, of Barnsley (scaffolding)
  • Northern Steel Decking, of Sheffield (decking)
  • T W Catering, of Pontefract (catering)
  • Clearwell, of Brighouse (pest control)
  • Ebor Concrete, of Ripon (staircases)
  • Dearnside Fabrications, of Sheffield (handrails)