The owner of Bradford’s Odeon building has submitted a bid to turn the former cinema into a giant advertising billboard while wrapping the 1930s structure.

Bosses at the Home and Communities Agency (HCA), who inherited the building from the now-defunct regional development agency, have applied to Bradford Council for advertising consent.

The bid includes a three-sided monoflex wrap with a white background, which would include one advert on each of the north, east and south elevations.

It is thought the scaffolding surrounding the Odeon building would remain, while the white sheeting, installed as a safety measure while repairs were being carried out, would be removed.

Information released by the HCA under Freedom of Information rules revealed no decision has been made as to what type of advert could appear.

It states: “Should the Agency be successful with the planning application, then artwork design, the name of advertiser and the products would be controlled by a third party advertisement company subject to controls contracted by HCA (yet to be drafted) and any planning conditions.”

Barra Mac Ruairi, the Council’s strategic director for regeneration, has called for any such adverts to be ones that promote Bradford and the development of the site itself.

He said: “It’s not unusual for buildings to be utilised in this way while they are empty and I would hope that if the application is approved, the HCA would use the opportunity to promote the site and the city.”

The Council first called for something to be done to prevent the Odeon being a blot on the landscape in 2010 ahead of the opening of the nearby City Park .

At the time, Yorkshire Forward said it was considering temporary cladding amid concerns the sight of the run-down building could overshadow the showpiece development.

Earlier this year, the T&A reported that hopes of wrapping the building to screen it in time for the first major event hosted in the City Park, which took place in March, looked in serious doubt.

At the time, Councillor David Green , the Council’s then executive member in charge of regeneration, said screening the building would be of great benefit, that they had been in discussion with the HCA for some time about the issue and that it had grown frustrating.

Building wraps are commonly used for advertising or obscuring buildings undergoing work or refurbishment. The design can often include an artist’s impression of what will be unveiled after the work has been completed.

The HCA took over ownership of the Odeon site a year ago. Developer Langtree intends to demolish the 1930s cinema building and create offices, a hotel and apartments on the site.