A REGENERATION boost is expected for Bradford after the Council was today selected to work on a scheme which gets redundant Government land and property back into use.

A pilot scheme has already proved successful and that involved Leeds Council, which worked with West Yorkshire Police to find the force new accommodation out of the city centre to make way for redevelopment work.

Final clearance is still needed, but it is now expected that Bradford Council will work with Leeds Council on the One Public Estate programme, which also involves the Cabinet Office and Local Government Association.

The pilot work involved 12 councils and Bradford is among 20 more identified for the second phase of the scheme, with an estimate the work could lead to 5,500 new jobs being created and 7,500 new homes built in the next five years.

An objective of the scheme is to cut through red tape to allow development schemes to progress quickly.

Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude (pictured) said: “As part of this Government's long-term economic plan we have got out of 1,250 buildings since the last General Election generating hundreds of millions in savings and creating more opportunities for housing and jobs."