The company which wants to build a £110 million business park in Bradford today warned that jobs were being lost to the city because of the Government's delay in holding a public inquiry into the scheme.

Landmark Development Projects Ltd has now demanded a date for the hearing is set by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for the planned development on the site of West Bowling Golf Club.

Managing director Kenneth Morton claimed large numbers of jobs were in danger of being lost to Bradford as businesses were put off by the lack of progress.

Council leader, Councillor Margaret Eaton, also said it was vital to sort out the inquiry over the planned St Andrew's business park off Rooley Lane which could potentially create 5,000 jobs.

She said: "It concerns me more each day passes. The Government must get this sorted out. It is vitally important if potential jobs are being lost."

The Council's regulatory and appeals committee gave its backing to the scheme, which includes offices, a hotel, B&Q superstore and 45 houses, in October 2002.

It referred the application to John Prescott's office saying it wanted it to be approved.

But the ODPM announced it wanted to pull the scheme in for a public inquiry and set the date for last November - but it was later called off for more information to be provided by Landmark.

Mr Morton said the only information now needed was a wildlife environmental study which could not be done until the spring.

"What we are pressing the Government to do is to set a date for the inquiry but it won't do that," he said.

"It is highly unusual not to in this situation. We want a date so that we know what we are working to."

He said important companies with the potential for many jobs were being put off because of the lack of progress and a lack of a definite time scale. Mr Morton added that the site was designated for development on the existing and the replacement Unitary Development Plan which is the yard stick for all planning applications.

Mr Morton said the Poundstretcher group, which has moved to the Trident business park, Huddersfield, would have been interested in St Andrews if it had been available last summer.

Richard Wightman, deputy chairman of Bradford Chamber of Commerce, said: "The Chamber of Commerce has recognised this is a very important site in Bradford.

"It is the biggest single site and is close to the motorway system.

''It is vital this strategic site should be released as soon as possible subject to planning. We need to ask why there are these delays."

But a Government spokesman said: "Until we have all the information we can do no more and our hands are tied. We cannot give a date."