COSTA is the latest major brand to have signed up for Bradford’s £270m Westfield Broadway shopping centre.

The coffee shop brand will be opening alongside other big retail names including Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, Topshop, Topman and New Look, JD Sports and Boots.

By the time the centre is finished in late 2015, it will have taken 6,600 tonnes of structural steel to support the 570,000 sq ft of floor space.

Keith Mabbett, Westfield’s director of leasing, said more than half of the centre’s floorspace had already been snapped up and demand for the rest of the space was high.

He said: “We’re delighted that Costa will be taking a unit at The Broadway. Costa Coffee, as a global brand, not only adds to the impressive portfolio of retailers that have signed up to the scheme, but is further proof that the development is a key strategic location for other leading UK and international brands.

“With well over 50 per cent of the centre’s floor space already committed, demand for spaces is high. As the scheme continues to gain further momentum, we look forward to announcing further retailers over the coming months.”

Once open for business the Broadway shopping centre is expected to bring about a 78 per cent increase in retail spend and 40 per cent increase in footfall to the city.

Earlier this month the multi-million shopping scheme was being highlighted as a key development to help sell the area to potential investors when senior Bradford Council representatives attended the MIPM UK property marketplace at London’s Olympia.

Council leader David Green, Invest in Bradford chief Kevin Reed and regeneration director Mike Cowlam were part of the Leeds City region delegation at the event.