Odsal Sports Village must be built by the end of 2011, according to the Bradford College expert drafted in to held push the project through.

Ronnie Todd, who is behind the college’s new sports academies, wants the long-awaited scheme completed within the same time frame as the college and university accommodation strategies.

The sports village will be needed to ensure the growth of the sport curriculum at both educational establishments, who are partners in the scheme.

Mr Todd said: “Both the college and the university plan to complete our accommodation strategies by the end of 2011. This constitutes a £200m-plus capital investment into the city centre, in accord with Learning and Skills Council and HEFCE Government timescales for our sectors. It is essential that Odsal Sports Village is completed within this time frame to provide capacity for student growth.”

The project, being led by Bradford Council, has received support from Bradford Bulls who play at Odsal, Yorkshire Forward, Sport England, Bradford and Airedale Teaching Pri-mary Care Trust, Bradford College, and the University of Bradford.

It follows an announcement earlier this month when Council chiefs pledged that the sports village was a top priority.

They admitted it would not be built in time to be used as a training centre ahead of the 2012 London Olympics, but said it would be an Olympic legacy.

The Council’s executive member for regeneration and economy, Councillor Adrian Naylor, said: “It is excellent news that so many organisations as established as this have come forward and committed to the scheme. We are determined the project will go ahead.”

Chairman of Bradford Bulls, Peter Hood, said: “By integrating Bradford Bulls’ existing stadium and land with neighbouring Council-owned assets the involvement of other stakeholders is enabled. In this way it becomes possible to deliver integrated, state-of-the-art sports, leisure and education facilities.”

David Gent, regional director of Sport England Yorkshire, said: “The scheme would give people in Bradford and the surrounding area access to a wider range of sporting opportunities.”