The site of a Bradford estate's former first school may be used for a multi-million pound centre which could become the hub of the neighbourhood.

The Newlands Partnership Board - set up to deal with a massive regeneration scheme for five Bradford estates - has agreed in principle to the proposal for the site of Ravenscliffe First School.

The school is due to be demolished by Bradford Council after it closed under the schools reorganisation. Now the partnership - which deals with £17 million allocated to the estate from the Government Single Regeneration Budget - is expected to step in to try to buy the 2.3 acre site.

Officers believe it will be a huge boost to the sprawling estate where bus services have been drastically cut by First Bradford recently.

The project - described as the most exciting measure adopted by the board since it was set up two years ago - would bring facilities under the same roof in the heart of the estate.

The partnership hopes to acquire the land by the end of this year, with building getting under way by next winter.

And the centre, which will be owned by the Newlands partnership, would be left behind for the people of Ravenscliffe when the SRB funding is spent in several years time.

It is likely to house financial services such as banks, a housing office, health facilities and rooms for community groups.

But board chairman Councillor Bob Sowman said it would be a "people's centre" with facilities based on what the community wanted after a full scale consultation.

Board vice chairman Gareth Logan added: "It is the most exciting thing ever to be undertaken by the project and the good thing is that it will leave something behind for the people of Ravenscliffe."

Newlands partnership director Jez Lester said he believed it would become the hub of the community, like a village hall.

Susan Brooke, chairman of Ravenscliffe's Oakdale Residents Association, said: "It is badly needed because there is really nothing here and it's very hard for people even to get to Idle with the reduction in bus services. The estate is isolated."

She pointed out that Ravenscliffe was the district's first community lettings estate where residents picked new tenants who had to promise to be good neighbours.

She said: "It will help people to really get to know each other at a place where they can meet."

The land the school is on could be worth about £160,000 but has yet to be valued.