Embattled Minister Stephen Byers has promised to try to speed up the inquiry into the £60 million Odsal development.

Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe has been told by Mr Byers that everything possible will be done. Mr Sutcliffe was given the assurance in talks with Mr Byers, the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

He said he was pleased with the assurance from Mr Byers and had been told the decision to hold an inquiry had not been taken lightly.

He said the next step would be the appointment of an inspector and the fixing of date and venue.

Bradford Council, which owns the home of the Bradford Bulls, is expected to employ barristers to put its case to the inquiry.

The development would include 1,600 jobs and clean-up of a land- fill site as well as creating a top sports facility.

Developers Sterling Capitol say it will not be possible to fund a stadium without a Tesco store as the commercial base.

But a development partnership, which includes Caddick Construction headed by Leeds Rhinos chairman Paul Caddick, said it intended to make representations to the inquiry.

The Forster Square Development Partnership, which plans to build the Broadway complex in Bradford, claims retail planned in the Odsal scheme could hit its development.

Caddick director Richard Weatherhead said they believed shopping proposed in the £60 million Odsal scheme could hit city trade.

The partnership lodged an objection to the bid with Bradford Council. The planned £200 million Broadway scheme would involve the demolition of large numbers of the 1960s city centre buildings.

Bradford Council, developers of the Odsal scheme Sterling Capitol, and Tesco, said they were shocked by a decision to call in the application for a public inquiry.

Mr Byers wants to explore a number of issues including transport, environment, pollution and the need for the retail and leisure to make the stadium viable.

Planning consultant Philip Coote said he believed retail in the Odsal development would have a disastrous effect on the city.

But Sterling Capitol claimed the development would link into the city's guided bus scheme. The developers of the Odsal scheme say experience suggests it would stimulate the city.