Get involved: Send your pictures, video, news and views by texting BRADFORD NEWS to 80360 or e-mail »
2:33am Wednesday 4th June 2008
The district's new regeneration chief says he is confident Bradford will not get into the same situation as Leeds, where 30 per cent of city centre apartments stand empty.
Councillor Adrian Naylor, Bradford Council's new executive member for regeneration, said the "extremely good" timing of Bradford's regeneration initiative would allow the city to learn from the mistakes of its neighbour.
He said: "Leeds is getting to the point where, in the next few years, it reaches its maximum potential for this cycle of development, so Bradford is the natural progression.
"Our timing is extremely good in that we have seen Leeds develop and end up with 4,000-plus flats that have no occupants at the minute.
"We are about to start on so many projects and can take into account what's happened in Leeds.
"The difference is we are not committed to ad-hoc growth. We have a masterplan."
Coun Naylor used his first full interview in his new role to stress his passion for Bradford and his belief in the district's potential. He took over the Council's regeneration remit from Coun Andrew Mallinson, who was sacked last month.
Coun Naylor said: "I want to see the best for Bradford people. It's an exciting time to take on this role because the regeneration of Bradford is gathering pace and plans are becoming reality."
The 48-year-old said he believed his experience working for large companies and running a small family business will stand him in good stead for the role.
Born in Wigan, he moved to the district in 1978 and studied economics at the University of Bradford, where he met his wife Clare.
He worked for the Deloitte & Touche accountancy company in Bradford, before moving to the Halifax Bank.
He then spent a decade with Skipton Building Society before setting up a family pharmacy business with his wife, acquiring branches in Brighouse, North Yorkshire and Lancashire.
He said: "It's a very relevant background. This role is a natural fit for what I have done in the past.
"Regeneration is not just about a place. It's about people feeling good about where they live, then having confidence in terms of what they are doing.
"It's a bit of an Americanism, but you need to create the can-do' attitude where entrepreneurs are buying into the regeneration."
Coun Naylor got involved in politics three years ago when he joined Silsden Town Council. He then won a by-election for a seat in Bradford Council's Craven ward in 2006.
Since becoming a councillor, he has been keen to find out as much as possible about a councillor's role and, to that end, is just about to gain a Masters in politics.
Coun Naylor spent a year as chairman of the Shipley Area Planning Panel, dealing with large applications such as Myrtle Walk and the Bingley Technology Park.
In Silsden, he has pushed for money to revamp certain sections of the town hall to create more of a community resource for residents.
albion, west riding says...
6:21am Wed 4 Jun 08
albion, west riding says...
6:21am Wed 4 Jun 08
Landlord, Bradford Centre says...
7:24am Wed 4 Jun 08
Landlord, Bradford Centre says...
7:24am Wed 4 Jun 08
Landlord, Bradford Centre says...
7:24am Wed 4 Jun 08
Andy Bairsto, bradford says...
7:51am Wed 4 Jun 08
Andy Bairsto, bradford says...
7:51am Wed 4 Jun 08
Andy Bairsto, bradford says...
7:51am Wed 4 Jun 08
James, Cullingworth says...
8:07am Wed 4 Jun 08
Andy Bairsto wrote:So why (according to government statistics) has Bradford (including it's city centre) got a growing population Andrew?!
What do these people use for brains.The 70% that are full in leeds generate vasts amounts of council tax Bradfords don't because we do not have any.I bet Bradford wishes it had as many flats empty as leeds if it could have the revenue from the full ones.Bradford day by day is growing into a ghost town run by drug dealers and the like.
James, Cullingworth says...
8:07am Wed 4 Jun 08
Andy Bairsto wrote:So why (according to government statistics) has Bradford (including it's city centre) got a growing population Andrew?!
What do these people use for brains.The 70% that are full in leeds generate vasts amounts of council tax Bradfords don't because we do not have any.I bet Bradford wishes it had as many flats empty as leeds if it could have the revenue from the full ones.Bradford day by day is growing into a ghost town run by drug dealers and the like.
James, Cullingworth says...
8:07am Wed 4 Jun 08
Andy Bairsto wrote:So why (according to government statistics) has Bradford (including it's city centre) got a growing population Andrew?!
What do these people use for brains.The 70% that are full in leeds generate vasts amounts of council tax Bradfords don't because we do not have any.I bet Bradford wishes it had as many flats empty as leeds if it could have the revenue from the full ones.Bradford day by day is growing into a ghost town run by drug dealers and the like.
Divers_uk, Bingley says...
8:15am Wed 4 Jun 08
Divers_uk, Bingley says...
8:15am Wed 4 Jun 08
Divers_uk, Bingley says...
8:15am Wed 4 Jun 08
cityhall, bradford says...
9:13am Wed 4 Jun 08
cityhall, bradford says...
9:13am Wed 4 Jun 08
cityhall, bradford says...
9:13am Wed 4 Jun 08
Darren, bradford says...
12:03pm Wed 4 Jun 08
"Regeneration is not just about a place. It's about people feeling good about where they live"
Leeds is getting to the point where, in the next few years, it reaches its maximum potential for this cycle of development, so Bradford is the natural progression...
the regeneration of Bradford is gathering pace and plans are becoming reality
Darren, bradford says...
12:03pm Wed 4 Jun 08
"Regeneration is not just about a place. It's about people feeling good about where they live"
Leeds is getting to the point where, in the next few years, it reaches its maximum potential for this cycle of development, so Bradford is the natural progression...
the regeneration of Bradford is gathering pace and plans are becoming reality
Darren, bradford says...
12:03pm Wed 4 Jun 08
"Regeneration is not just about a place. It's about people feeling good about where they live"
Leeds is getting to the point where, in the next few years, it reaches its maximum potential for this cycle of development, so Bradford is the natural progression...
the regeneration of Bradford is gathering pace and plans are becoming reality
Landlord, Bradford Centre says...
12:33pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Landlord, Bradford Centre says...
12:33pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Landlord, Bradford Centre says...
12:33pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Woody, Manningham says...
12:34pm Wed 4 Jun 08
albion wrote:My pockets are empty and the shops never get built.
No, with Bradford its the shops that stand empty, the flats never get built.
Woody, Manningham says...
12:34pm Wed 4 Jun 08
albion wrote:My pockets are empty and the shops never get built.
No, with Bradford its the shops that stand empty, the flats never get built.
Woody, Manningham says...
12:34pm Wed 4 Jun 08
albion wrote:My pockets are empty and the shops never get built.
No, with Bradford its the shops that stand empty, the flats never get built.
Woody, Manningham says...
12:35pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Woody, Manningham says...
12:35pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Woody, Manningham says...
12:35pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Landlord, Bradford Centre says...
12:37pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Landlord, Bradford Centre says...
12:37pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Landlord, Bradford Centre says...
12:37pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Landlord, Bradford Centre says...
12:40pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Woody wrote:Most of the Bradford homeless have moved to Leeds to sell the Big Issue. You don't get much in the way of begging money when most of the shops are pound shops, hell a pound doesn't even buy you the Big Issue these days.
Give the empty flats to the homeless!
Landlord, Bradford Centre says...
12:40pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Woody wrote:Most of the Bradford homeless have moved to Leeds to sell the Big Issue. You don't get much in the way of begging money when most of the shops are pound shops, hell a pound doesn't even buy you the Big Issue these days.
Give the empty flats to the homeless!
Landlord, Bradford Centre says...
12:40pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Woody wrote:Most of the Bradford homeless have moved to Leeds to sell the Big Issue. You don't get much in the way of begging money when most of the shops are pound shops, hell a pound doesn't even buy you the Big Issue these days.
Give the empty flats to the homeless!
Say it as it is, A country going down the pan says...
1:18pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Say it as it is, A country going down the pan says...
1:18pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Say it as it is, A country going down the pan says...
1:18pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Say it as it is, A country going down the pan says...
1:22pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Say it as it is, A country going down the pan says...
1:22pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Say it as it is, A country going down the pan says...
1:22pm Wed 4 Jun 08
albion, west riding says...
1:41pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Woody wrote:Try earning a wage, there are lots of empty retail premises in Bradford.
albion wrote: No, with Bradford its the shops that stand empty, the flats never get built.My pockets are empty and the shops never get built.
albion, west riding says...
1:41pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Woody wrote:Try earning a wage, there are lots of empty retail premises in Bradford.
albion wrote: No, with Bradford its the shops that stand empty, the flats never get built.My pockets are empty and the shops never get built.
albion, west riding says...
1:41pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Woody wrote:Try earning a wage, there are lots of empty retail premises in Bradford.
albion wrote: No, with Bradford its the shops that stand empty, the flats never get built.My pockets are empty and the shops never get built.
bradfordian, bradford says...
2:50pm Wed 4 Jun 08
bradfordian, bradford says...
2:50pm Wed 4 Jun 08
bradfordian, bradford says...
2:50pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Darren, Bradford says...
3:47pm Wed 4 Jun 08
bradfordian wrote:Its the constant 'jive' that people get about regeneration that gets us down...I like Bradford as a whole but I am sick to death of nothing being done.
with all the no hopers bradford as no chance of any success.tyhere are more people in bradford.let our opinions be heard.i love bradford.every city in england have the problems bradford.leeds statistics on gun crime than bradford.but they media portray it as bradford been the worst which it is not.not many poor people living in the posh flats of leeds then? just leave the city centre and you will see how the poorer have liveand. the sad thing is most people work to earn their poverty.
Darren, Bradford says...
3:47pm Wed 4 Jun 08
bradfordian wrote:Its the constant 'jive' that people get about regeneration that gets us down...I like Bradford as a whole but I am sick to death of nothing being done.
with all the no hopers bradford as no chance of any success.tyhere are more people in bradford.let our opinions be heard.i love bradford.every city in england have the problems bradford.leeds statistics on gun crime than bradford.but they media portray it as bradford been the worst which it is not.not many poor people living in the posh flats of leeds then? just leave the city centre and you will see how the poorer have liveand. the sad thing is most people work to earn their poverty.
Darren, Bradford says...
3:47pm Wed 4 Jun 08
bradfordian wrote:Its the constant 'jive' that people get about regeneration that gets us down...I like Bradford as a whole but I am sick to death of nothing being done.
with all the no hopers bradford as no chance of any success.tyhere are more people in bradford.let our opinions be heard.i love bradford.every city in england have the problems bradford.leeds statistics on gun crime than bradford.but they media portray it as bradford been the worst which it is not.not many poor people living in the posh flats of leeds then? just leave the city centre and you will see how the poorer have liveand. the sad thing is most people work to earn their poverty.
Wrose37, Wrose says...
4:05pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Wrose37, Wrose says...
4:05pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Wrose37, Wrose says...
4:05pm Wed 4 Jun 08
Enter your postcode, town or place name
Find your next job now in Bradford and beyond
Search Now »
Make a date in Bradford and surrounding areas now
Search Now »
Homes for sale and to let in Bradford and surrounding areas.
Search Now »
Cars for sale throughout Bradford and surrounding areas
Search Now »
albion, west riding says...
6:21am Wed 4 Jun 08