Car dealer Lookers of Bradford is to close later this year, it was revealed today.

The Hyundai and Rover dealership is on part of the city-centre site earmarked for a £15 million supermarket complex.

It is understood some staff received redundancy notices this morning.

No one from Lookers would talk to the T&A today.

But a Hyundai spokesman said: "We have been officially informed by Lookers that the site has been sold for development and is to close at the end of August.

"We are now looking to appoint another dealer in Bradford and we have already had some strong interest from other operators in the area.

"Lookers has been a good dealer for us in Bradford and we have performed very well."

No one from Rover was available for comment.

The un-named supermarket chain- believed to be a household name - wants to build on the seven-acre site in Nelson Street.

It is currently owned by Bradford Council and seven other parties and a council spokesman Lookers was one of them.

He said: "We are holding on-going discussions and meetings with the property developer who is likely to be the planning applicant.

"The identity of the retail operator will be a matter between the developer and them."

If planning permission is approved, the new supermarket will sell food and non-food goods in a 78,600 sq ft building.

The development on the existing 80-place car park for council staff will also include a filling station and a new 550-vehicle car park.

A draft scheme is being drawn up and a study on the impact of the store on other shops will be carried out as well as an analysis of the effect on local traffic.

Other major developments in Bradford include plans to open a calls centre, creating about 150 jobs this year and a maximum of 750 jobs on a site yet to be decided in the city centre.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.