BRADFORD-based specialist lender Provident Financial, which boosted its full year profits by a quarter in 2015, is looking to add extra call centre space at its city centre head office as its operations expand.

Chief executive Peter Crook said the company would seek planning permission to develop land and an extension to the former TJ Hughes building which it bought in 2013 and set aside for future development.

The move has been driven by growth in its Satsuma short-term loans business and the glo guarantor-backed lending which is being rolled out following trials last year.

An unspecified number of call centre staff for the two expanding businesses will be recruited and based in the new area and add to the 1,000-strong Provident Group workforce at its Godwin Street headquarters.

Peter Crook said: "I am delighted to announce adjusted earnings per share growth of 22.6 per cent in 2015 and a 22.6 per cent increase in the dividend for the year, reflecting strong capital generation and a very robust funding position.

"We have seen growth across our operations and made a good start to 2016. This includes the Vanquis Bank credit card business along with Satsuma and glo whose call centre operations will be developed in Bradford.

"That will mean development of the annexe area which we have had in reserve to provide extra accommodation "

Provident, which has 2.4 million customers, increased adjusted pre-tax group profits to £292.9 million in the year to December 31, slightly ahead of analysts ' expectations , and 25 per cent higher than the previous year's £234.4 million.

Provident has lifted its final dividend payout by 26.6 per cent from 63.9p to 80.9p, making a total for the year 22.6 per cent higher at 120.1p against 98p in 2014.

Its Vanquis Bank operation remained a star performer, increasing pre-tax profit by by 22.8 per cent to £185.5 million from £151. million a year earlier. It grew customer number by nearly ten per cent while income was 19.6 per cent higher reflecting increased momentum in an the underserved non-standard credit card market.

Work to slim down and reposition the Consumer |Credit Division, which includes Provident's traditional home lending operation,was completed. A move from paper-based functions to laptops and smart phones led to 340 job cuts, including 80 in Bradford.

Following the restructure , the business raised adjusted pre-tax profits by 1.4 per cent to £105.4 million.

The Moneybarn broker-led car loans business pushed up profits by 42 per cent to £21.3million against £15 million in 2014. New business volumes grew by nearly 70 per cent and Moneybarn is adding loans for light commercial vans .