6:40pm Tuesday 11th September 2007
By Mark Casci
Plans to build the tallest building in Bradford have been given the green light by Bradford Council.
The 38-storey Citygate development on Manchester Road has been granted outline planning permission by planning bosses.
Developers Asquith plan to start work on the £150 million development next year and hope to have it completed by 2013.
The skyscraper will be built on Bradford's Manchester Road and will include a 116-bedroom hotel, luxury apartments and townhouses, as well as retail space, two private landscaped courtyards and car parking.
The hotel will also include conferencing facilities and a banqueting hall big enough to accommodate 1,000 guests.
Asquith is also behind the Gatehaus building in Little Germany, which is nearing completion and due to open later this year.
It unveiled the plans for the Citygate skyscraper in April this year and formerly submitted the plans to the Bradford Area Planning Panel this week.
Russell Baker, chairman of Asquith, said: "We are delighted and excited by Bradford Council's decision to push forward with the plans for Citygate.
"We hope to repeat the success of our previous project, The Gatehaus, by creating a building that is not only stunning but provides greater business and residential opportunities for those looking to live and work in Bradford."
The project had already gained backing from the Bradford Trident board, a community-led organisation working with Bradford Council on the regeneration of the city centre, as well as strong support from local residents and businesses during an in-depth public consultation held in June.
As part of the deal, Asquith will make a contribution of £122,304 to educational provision in the area, with a view to the possible expansion of nearby All Saints CE School or the provision of another primary school in the City Ward.
The developer will also have to provide an additional £164,000 towards recreational open space and playing fields to cope with the demands of extra people in the area.
Sixteen of the proposed townhouses will be offered at a 50 per cent discount of the open market value as a contribution to on-site affordable housing.
Glenn Howells, an architect working for Asquith on Citygate, has been nominated for the Stirling prize for architecture for his work on other projects.
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