Developers have gone back to the drawing board after being refused planning permission for a controversial leisure scheme on the site of Provincial House.

St James Securities is pinning its hopes on an amended application due to go before a planning committee on December 14.

The firm wants to demolish the eight-storey office block opposite Grade One listed City Hall and replace it with a multi-million pound leisure scheme.

The company was dealt a major blow when councillors turned down its first scheme because it was the 'wrong type of building' for the site. An appeal against the decision has since been dropped.

Ian Barraclough, a director of St James Securities, said: "We have got a high quality scheme and a high quality architect. We think Bradford deserves a modern building.

"We believe it embraces planning requirements and it will mean an extension to Centenary Square."

Objectors have said they want the existing building to be retained and redeveloped, providing an arts facility.

But Mr Barraclough said today: "We have undertaken a thorough investigation of retaining the existing building but the cost would be in the area of £15 million."

The new proposal is for a building which is higher than the one originally proposed and new features include an arts centre. It would be built from glass and stone.

But the plan is still being opposed by the Bradford Arts Forum which says the design and scale of the development is unsuitable and maintains the existing building should be kept. Peter Connelly, who is about to start redeveloping Little Germany's historic Silens Works into apartments, has also stepped into the controversy.

He backs the idea of the existing office building being kept and says it could be redeveloped for housing, offices and the arts.