The regeneration of a run-down area of Bradford, which will bring with it hundreds of jobs, is being taken a step nearer by the refurbishment of former textile warehouses.

The Goitside area of the city, which stretches from Sunwin House in the city centre and up Thornton and Sunbridge Roads as far as the bottom end of mail-order giant Grattan's warehouse, has been earmarked for a facelift.

Much of the early work on the "urban village" plan will be carried out by entrepreneurs in the area and is being spearheaded by businessman David Scougall.

He said: "We want to revitalise one of Bradford's inner-city sites which will help create jobs, a safe environment and a pleasant place to live and work."

Mr Scougall's firm Headingly Developments, has already regenerated the former Intasun holiday company building Woolston House in Tetley Street. Some 50 firms currently use the seven-storey building and 150 people work there.

Now Headingly Developments has acquired Colonial Buildings opposite Woolston House which is a six-storey former textile warehouse which Mr Scougall is to develop.

He said: "This building has been empty for six years and we want to put it back into commercial use. Plans are being drawn up by architects Webb Seeger Moorhouse and it could become offices, a restaurant and retail units."

The firm is also working on turning Galem House, next door to Woolston House, into apartments in a joint venture with the owners. These will compliment the loft apartments being created in another Goitside building in Wigan Street by a different developer.

Mr Scougall, who is also chairman of Bradford's Economic Advisory Group, wants to draw other firms into the area to develop the "urban village" which is also being developed in Little Germany.

He has won the support of the Regeneration Division of Bradford Council and other firms in the area.

Howard Bell, chief executive of Bradford firm Provident Financial, which is based in Sunbridge Road, said: "We are quite willing to put our weight behind whatever people in the area are doing. Provident Financial has enough problems recruiting people in the Bradford area so we welcome anything which is going to improve the Goitside area."

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