Major companies are already lined up to move into the majority of multi-millionaire Eddie Healey's Bradford city centre leisure scheme, his company said today.

Mr Healey, who is about to sell his stake in the giant Meadowhall shopping centre, is also clinching a deal for an operator to take over a 16-screen multiplex on the site.

His company, Stadium is working with Christie & Co, specialist surveyors and valuers on development contracts.

The scheme would also include a 120-bedroom hotel, seven restaurants, a fitness centre and parking spaces for about 1,200 cars.

Stadium director David Harkins said: "About 70 per cent of the scheme, including the cinema is now with solicitors.

"We are unable to name companies at this stage, but we are very pleased with progress."

The developers are expected to close the car park to begin work before the end of the year.

Councillor Phil Thornton, deputy chairman of the Council's transportation, planning and design committee said mains services had now been installed at a site in Thornton Road which will be used as a temporary 300-space car park when the work begins.

A shuttle bus service may also be used to and from the city centre. Parking will be free while the motorists are in exile.

The Stadium group also plans to buy the Exchange Court car park near the Quality Victoria Hotel for a four-storey office block-

The Stadium plan follows the collapse of a scheme put forward by J F Finnegan two years ago which ran into funding difficulties.

Mr Healey says he expects 700 jobs to be created during the construction period and the contracts will go to Yorkshire firms. An estimated 500 jobs will be created when the centre - expected to take 18 months to build - finally opens.

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