Is Bradford on the up again? (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

It's a puzzling decision with 100s upon 100s of vacant apartments in the city centre including ex-Aquith's repossessions selling from 50k, why does the city need a few hundred additional vacant apartment?
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Last time the T and A publicised this development I'm sure the £50k headline apartments were tiny bed sits (the posh word used is studio apartments) and in fact the more conventional 500-700 sq ft apartments were over £100k.

FANTASTIC ! more apartments for Bradford.

If I'm not mistaken there are many empty ones still available, and lots are home to immigrants paid for by govenment benefits.

Surely not in the best interests of Bradfords wonderful city centre (when we eventually do get it)

Who on earth gets to agree these plans, and more to the point, what bribes are they accepting ?

Will there be a public viewing plateform at the top?
This will allow views of the Westfield site for years to come, and the lift charge make money.

Whats the betting it'll end up another garden?

steveinbradford wrote:
FANTASTIC ! more apartments for Bradford.

If I'm not mistaken there are many empty ones still available, and lots are home to immigrants paid for by govenment benefits.

Surely not in the best interests of Bradfords wonderful city centre (when we eventually do get it)

Who on earth gets to agree these plans, and more to the point, what bribes are they accepting ?

You don't read the Daily Express by any chance do you? I think you'll find the vast majority on benefits in Bradford District are White-British.

AidyF wrote:

steveinbradford wrote: FANTASTIC ! more apartments for Bradford. If I'm not mistaken there are many empty ones still available, and lots are home to immigrants paid for by govenment benefits. Surely not in the best interests of Bradfords wonderful city centre (when we eventually do get it) Who on earth gets to agree these plans, and more to the point, what bribes are they accepting ?

You don't read the Daily Express by any chance do you? I think you'll find the vast majority on benefits in Bradford District are White-British.

White-British are not the vast majority demographic renting in the city centre apartments however.
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As rents have collapsed to below £400 per month, immigrant students and low paid or social tennants are the only occupants that are available to take up the apartments as the supply already outstrips demand.
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I'm not saying that's either good or bad, but stating a fact.
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More apartments, especially if targetted in the same manner Asquith's did, i.e. to out of town investors on the back of rental guarantees (a sure sign an apartment is overpriced and the rental figures are lies) will only damage the local residential economy.
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Given Skelwith are already having to let their Woolston Warehouse apartments out via Rightmove, plus offering 100% mortgages for owner occupation their claims of success in the city seem to be marketing hype.

The developers have said why they are going ahead with Phase 1 - they think there is a demand for small but luxurious appartments. So these aren't going to be just any old appartments competing with existing appartments.
And believe it or not the developers might actually be thinking ahead - completion is to be by the end of 2013, not next week!
I just wish Westfield would think ahead.

Surely tehy've done their homework whilst 100's of flats lie empty across the city centre, though at least it's something being built where by 2013 Westfield will still be a hole in the ground!

I would imagine that by the time this scheme is constructed the other stalled schemes around the City centre will be on the way to completion making Bradford city Centre a more attractive place to live in.

bcfc1903 wrote:
I would imagine that by the time this scheme is constructed the other stalled schemes around the City centre will be on the way to completion making Bradford city Centre a more attractive place to live in.

That's optimism! I trust you're not expecting Westfield in that wish list?

Avro wrote:
Surely tehy've done their homework whilst 100's of flats lie empty across the city centre, though at least it's something being built where by 2013 Westfield will still be a hole in the ground!

I noticed on the news today that the stalled shopping development in Leeds is now being restarted, as they have managed to sign up enough tenants. Why can't Westfield do the same? I went to Leeds last week and it's changed out of all recognition to when I was a student there. There were almost as many betting shops and boarded up shops as there are in Bradford!

Moon on a stick wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote: I would imagine that by the time this scheme is constructed the other stalled schemes around the City centre will be on the way to completion making Bradford city Centre a more attractive place to live in.

That's optimism! I trust you're not expecting Westfield in that wish list?

I'm expecting Westfield to be constructing by the time this Skelwith scheme is finished.

bcfc1903 wrote:

Moon on a stick wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote: I would imagine that by the time this scheme is constructed the other stalled schemes around the City centre will be on the way to completion making Bradford city Centre a more attractive place to live in.

That's optimism! I trust you're not expecting Westfield in that wish list?

I'm expecting Westfield to be constructing by the time this Skelwith scheme is finished.

You need to get down to one of the many bookies in the city centre and bet on that. I can't see a start before 2015, unless the scheme is scaled down to something more modest.
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That's assuming there's not a riot on the 28th of August when the EDL protest in the city centre, if that happens, maybe stick a decade on that.

excellent news, 500 empty appartments to house the people who won't be shopping in the Shopping Mall that isn't there.

Still, we've got a shortcut from the bottom of Leeds Road to The Midland, that's bound to bring in thousands of visitors who'll have nowhere to go and nothing to see in the rest of the city Centre.

What a joke - you have just demolished some 1960s tat in Bradford and of course left the brilliant Victorian buildings. How long before this tat it it's ever built looks equally scruffy and requires demolition.

just another load of bull pooooooh !!
but instead of a artist impression ,we get a artist model ,, by this time next year we will be still waiting for a start date !!

Moon on a stick wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote:

Moon on a stick wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote: I would imagine that by the time this scheme is constructed the other stalled schemes around the City centre will be on the way to completion making Bradford city Centre a more attractive place to live in.

That's optimism! I trust you're not expecting Westfield in that wish list?

I'm expecting Westfield to be constructing by the time this Skelwith scheme is finished.

You need to get down to one of the many bookies in the city centre and bet on that. I can't see a start before 2015, unless the scheme is scaled down to something more modest. . That's assuming there's not a riot on the 28th of August when the EDL protest in the city centre, if that happens, maybe stick a decade on that.

Im expecting the Westfield scheme to be scaled down leaving room for crossrail and making it easier to fill the retail outlets,add to this senario the possibility that the Odeon building could be saved and refurbished with the demise of Yorkshire Forward.Bradford could have a far brighter future than the doom mongers on here seem to think.

bcfc1903 wrote:

Moon on a stick wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote:

Moon on a stick wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote: I would imagine that by the time this scheme is constructed the other stalled schemes around the City centre will be on the way to completion making Bradford city Centre a more attractive place to live in.

That's optimism! I trust you're not expecting Westfield in that wish list?

I'm expecting Westfield to be constructing by the time this Skelwith scheme is finished.

You need to get down to one of the many bookies in the city centre and bet on that. I can't see a start before 2015, unless the scheme is scaled down to something more modest. . That's assuming there's not a riot on the 28th of August when the EDL protest in the city centre, if that happens, maybe stick a decade on that.

Im expecting the Westfield scheme to be scaled down leaving room for crossrail and making it easier to fill the retail outlets,add to this senario the possibility that the Odeon building could be saved and refurbished with the demise of Yorkshire Forward.Bradford could have a far brighter future than the doom mongers on here seem to think.

Crossrail=no chance.

....and just read on ceefax that a major development,mothball
ed 18 months ago due to the recession,has restarted in the Briggate/Albion street area of Leeds ..1000,000 sq ft,120 shops and restaurants employing 4,000 people is now expecting to open in Spring 2013.Land Securities said the catalyst was the signing up of major tenants such as 'Next'......so Westfield..you're bigger,either tell us Bradford isn't big enough or worthy enough or get on with it!

There is no way that the Westfield shopping centre should be reduced in size. The whole point is to put a large number of shops under one roof to make a visit to the centre worthwhile.
Incidentally you might be interested to know that the Trinity shopping centre in Wakefield is currently well underway and that it it is only slightly smaller than Westfield's.

I think a slightly smaller Westfield shopping centre similar to the Derby complex just completed would guarantee it getting built in Bradford,you'd also get the added bonus of leaving enough room to build a mile of heavy rail linking both railway lines bringing far better rail services to the city and business and footfall to the centre of Bradford.

Moon on a stick wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote:

Moon on a stick wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote: I would imagine that by the time this scheme is constructed the other stalled schemes around the City centre will be on the way to completion making Bradford city Centre a more attractive place to live in.

That's optimism! I trust you're not expecting Westfield in that wish list?

I'm expecting Westfield to be constructing by the time this Skelwith scheme is finished.

You need to get down to one of the many bookies in the city centre and bet on that. I can't see a start before 2015, unless the scheme is scaled down to something more modest. . That's assuming there's not a riot on the 28th of August when the EDL protest in the city centre, if that happens, maybe stick a decade on that.

Sounds to me like you want a riot on 28th August so you can post your usual smart alec stuff...

steveinbradford wrote:
FANTASTIC ! more apartments for Bradford. If I'm not mistaken there are many empty ones still available, and lots are home to immigrants paid for by govenment benefits. Surely not in the best interests of Bradfords wonderful city centre (when we eventually do get it) Who on earth gets to agree these plans, and more to the point, what bribes are they accepting ?

Are you yet another property expert, who couldn't put up a garden shed?

There will be a substantial proportion of the site which will be left undeveloped for the time being. As it was obtained at the bottom of the market (with Planning Permission), it would be reasonable to assume that this will turn out to be a good investment for the developer particularly if they leave the site as is. I foresee that portion of the site lying 'fallow' for years to come...

I believe it will be built in two stages,the second stage being the skyscraper,there doesn't seem to be a timetable for building that but i guess alot depends on how the first stage sells and the economic situation at that time.

webess wrote:

Moon on a stick wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote:

Moon on a stick wrote:

bcfc1903 wrote: I would imagine that by the time this scheme is constructed the other stalled schemes around the City centre will be on the way to completion making Bradford city Centre a more attractive place to live in.

That's optimism! I trust you're not expecting Westfield in that wish list?

I'm expecting Westfield to be constructing by the time this Skelwith scheme is finished.

You need to get down to one of the many bookies in the city centre and bet on that. I can't see a start before 2015, unless the scheme is scaled down to something more modest. . That's assuming there's not a riot on the 28th of August when the EDL protest in the city centre, if that happens, maybe stick a decade on that.

Sounds to me like you want a riot on 28th August so you can post your usual smart alec stuff...

Doesn't sound that way to me, I think you've got a vivid imagination. Surely the police will commit a huge presence and keep the EDL and UAF apart which would if other cities are to be taken as an example result in only minor incidents and no long term bad press.
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The concern in Bradford's case is that the UAF and one of their aligned groups the ironically named Hope Not Hate is specifically targeting Bradford arranging demos and trying to stir up panic and counter protest starting this Saturday in Centenary Square.
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I think you'll find my posts this week to simply be factual than Smart Alec.

When I first read this I thought I must have been asleep since 1st April. The answer to the question is NO

I agree with Bcfc1903.

Westfield may start again once the Olympic Village is complete, they have a timescale to keep to and if they weren't finished in time for the 2012 Olympics then its worldwide embarrassment for London and Westfield. If I were running Westfield I'd have put all my manpower into the Olympics too.

With City Park well underway and the potential for the Odeon we are moving towards a very good future for Bradford

Oh and don't forget the recent completion of Jurys Inn and M&S Distribution Centre.

What I do love though is the passion from everybody who comments its just a shame that occasionally its ends up like a school playground.

The MD of Skelwith group was on the radio last night. He categorically said that there was no chance of a 38 storey tower and it will be two blocks 4 or 5 storeys high of low cost apartments circa £50k each. So why are the T&A still staying that the original scheme is back on track and showing another fabled artists impression of a 38 storey landmark?
He also said there will between 400 and 500 apartments, and swerved questions on who was going to buy all this amount of housing stock when there are hundreds of empty flats in the centre already. I think its pretty obvious at £50k they aint going to be attracting many business people, more likely to be aimed at buy to let market,or more precisely,buy to let to claimants/housing benefit.
Sounds like it will be a delightful place to live!

500 apartments! Sounds likes a plan for more privately owned social housing which is what the city centre apartments are already turning into. Surely for an investor, a lot of hassle and risk for a small return.
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Still the Council will get almost half a million in Council Tax for that per year as the owners will be Council Tax liable even if they remain empty, I bet that fact isn't on the propestus.

It's all speculation at the minute regarding the price of each dwelling,some may be for first time buyers but i'm sure there will be many more catering for people on higher earnings who wish for a bigger appartment with a higher spec.


The EDL march will be policed like those in Manchester,Leeds Luton with similar results hopefully.