Council leader John Ryan will urge the district's MPs to press for regional government offices to be set up in the prestige Alderman-bury office block.

He said the Council would work with developers of the multi-million pound block on getting the right occupants.

"Regional government is playing an increasingly important role and I feel this quality development on a prime city centre would be just the right place," said Coun Ryan.

He also urged developers to consider a mixed use for the £9 million Aldermanbury block.

Today, Simon Dixon property adviser for Eddisons Commercial which is marketing the site, said: "I would be delighted to see it as the base of the new Regional Development Agency."

He said the developers were already considering mixed use of the complex and discussions were going ahead with a national operator, with a view to opening a restaurant and wine bar on the ground floor.

Mr Dixon said the building - due to be completed at the end of June -had attracted 30 serious inquiries from major institutions considering setting up in Bradford.

He said he was not concerned that at this stage there was no firm end user of the building, which has purpose-built facilities as a call centre.

The Aldermanbury has become one of the first buildings in the country to offer hi-tech viewing to potential occupants. The developers have produced a a Quick Time Virtual reality CD-Rom.

The state of the art publishing techniques mean viewers can walk through the development without even moving from their seats.

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