The decision by councillors on the regulatory and appeals committee to insist that part of Bradford's new police HQ should be built in stone, at an additional cost of £250,000 and delaying the project by six months, is bound to raise eyebrows.

As the chairman of the West Yorkshire Police Federation says, police activity in Bradford has outgrown the existing building in The Tyrls. Work on the new premises needs to go ahead with the minimum of delay.

There is also the important factor of the extra money which will be needed to comply with the new conditions. This is public money which, while it belongs in a different budget and will not affect the number of officers on the beat, will almost inevitably come from the already hard-pressed council taxpayers whether it be from an existing pot of cash or borrowed from outside sources, as is now allowed after changes in government policy.

Councillor Clive Richardson, a member of the Police Authority, supports the existing plans on the grounds that the brick in the design would fit in with nearby buildings, including the Abbey headquarters and the Interchange. However, is that good enough reason for letting that design go ahead?

The master plan for the city centre calls for quality buildings which will stand the test of time to replace those which, like the present police HQ, have a dated and tacky look. They need to set a standard which other developers will be inspired to follow.

On balance, the extra funds needed to use Yorkshire stone in place of brick could prove to be a sound investment in Bradford's future.