“BRADFORD can end up being the destination it needs to be.”

That’s the rallying cry from Ian Ward, chairman of the Bradford BID Development Group, ahead of an important 12 months for realising ambitious plans to boost the city centre.

A BID, or Business Improvement District, is a defined area within a town or city where a levy, typically one to 1.5 per cent, is charged on all business rate payers over and above their normal business rates.

The levy is then used to develop projects or services which benefit the businesses in that area.

A yes vote could result in an annual BID levy income of more than £2 million over the course of the five-year BID term.

The plans took a huge stride forward in November, when results of a feasibility study revealed 70 per cent of respondents were in favour of the BID concept being tested by ballot – giving the development group the green light to move forward.

And although that important milestone has been reached, Mr Ward says the hard work now begins.

“Realistically, the hard work has only just started,” he said. “The next 12 months is a lot more important than what the last 12 months have been.

“Will there be some challenges? Yes, of course there will be. There will still be some businesses out there, that no matter how much work we have done on marketing to get that message across, there is still going to be a lot of businesses out there that when you say ‘Bradford Business Improvement District’, probably don’t know what you’re talking about.

“That’s part of what the journey looks like. We’ve got to get out on the street and we’ve got to be going around to those businesses to make sure they fully understand.

“There’s just under 300 Business Improvement Districts in the UK and I don’t think any one of them hasn’t had a number of challenges to overcome.”

Over the coming months, a business plan - focusing on the pillars of safe, clean, alive and promoting - will be developed, with the group looking at objectives under those pillars and how they will be achieved.

Mr Ward revealed Little Germany will be included in the BID boundary line, with discussions still ongoing with the Forster Square retail park.

The business plan is likely to be launched in June next year, with ballot papers issued in September.

Mr Ward said: “I am 100 per cent positive that Bradford will have a Business Improvement District in 12 months.

“In my opinion, Bradford is a sleeping giant. Bradford can be what it wants to be. I firmly believe that Bradford can end up being the destination it needs to be, not only from what Bradford Business Improvement District do, but from what we all do together.”