Business chiefs have submitted a scaled-down £17 million bid to create up to 2,000 jobs in Bradford.

The Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), which includes Bradford Council leader Ian Greenwood, announced yesterday it was bidding for a share of the remaining £850 million from the Regional Growth Fund (RGF).

This includes a submission on behalf of the city centre delivery group to start a scheme to create a central business district next to the City Park.

Councillor David Green said: “What we are looking to do is to secure funding so we can support existing and new retailers in the city and start the first stage of the central business district.”

The latest bid was submitted by the Council on behalf of the Bradford city centre development group. They were left disappointed when a bid for £35m from the RGF was turned down in April, which would have helped start the £58 million Exchange Court scheme to move the magistrates' court from the Tyrls next to the Great Victoria Hotel.

The city centre also missed out as the choice for the Leeds City LEP’s Enterprise Zone, which would have brought tax relief.

However, the district’s regeneration hopes were given a lift when Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told the Telegraph & Argus the Government was consulting on the latest Bradford scheme to make sure the bid for this round of regional funding was “as strong as possible”.

Coun Green, said: “This is not as big a bid as it was previously, as one of the concerns that was raised was that it was too optimistic in how much money we could secure.

“But we believe that the scheme that has now been put forward should be successful.”

The Council’s shadow regeneration spokesman, Councillor Matt Palmer, has raised concerns that the previous bids did not match the Government’s criteria.

Jeanette Sunderland, leader of the Council’s Liberal Democrat group, said: “I believe this bid should get Government backing.”

  • Read the full story Wednesday’s T&A