A campaigner is feeling devastated today after losing his attempt to get Bradford's former Odeon cinema listed to save it from demolition.

The Government has turned down Norman Littlewood's application to protect the building by listing it as being of special architectural and historical importance.

Now Bradford Centre Regeneration (BCR) - the company set up to breathe new life into the city - will consider what to do with the prime site after calls for the creation of a major concert hall there.

Mr Littlewood - a Bradford businessman and building contractor - began a fight to save the old building several months ago and sent the listing application to the Government's Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

It was supported by a petition signed by 3,500 people and hundreds of letters.

But the Government department has decided the building has been altered too much to merit a listing.

BCR has already commissioned its own survey on the building by global consulting engineers Arup after a consultation exercise into its master plan for the city in which many people called for a concert hall on the site which would bring regional kudos to the city.

The Odeon building is not pictured on the separate city centre master plan commissioned from international architect Will Alsop by BCR although its two towers are seen as retained. English Heritage also advised the Government against listing the building on historical and architectural merits.

The building had already been inspected with a view to listing in 1996 and 2001 and turned down.

Mr Littlewood said: "I am obviously very, very disappointed and now it will be up to Bradford Centre Regeneration what happens to the building. But everybody is now aware of the great depth of feeling from people who want to keep it."

The building was bought last year by Government regeneration agency Yorkshire Forward, which is a partner in BCR.

Maud Marshall, chief executive of Bradford Centre Regeneration, said: "We are aware of the response to the listing application and will take it into account. It clarifies that matter and that is helpful."