THE PROPOSAL to bring pop-up cafes, shops and food vendors to the pedestrian underpass beneath Hamm Strasse is certainly an interesting idea.

It’s the sort of creative plan that has the potential to make better use of a space which can often be seen as isolated and intimidating.

The route between the two sections of Forster Square Retail Park for people on foot is not well defined and people will often choose to drive from one side to the other or walk via the very busy junctions at the bottom of Hamm Strasse.

It seems a shame that this level cut-through is not better used and better defined as a means of moving shoppers around.

It’s something of a rarity in Bradford, but the Sunbridge Wells development has proved what can be achieved by creating shopping environments in unusual places.

Indeed, a space like this in central London would almost certainly be in use already for street vending, as anyone who has walked down the South Bank of the Thames will testify.

Such schemes can bring areas like this to life, creating a safer environment while giving retail zones more of a buzz.

If this application is successful, perhaps someone will then turn their attention to the hugely-overlooked area of the arches on the way to Forster Square station.

This quirky area seems to have excellent potential for retail, with the opportunity to create a vibrant first impression of Bradford and a more interesting walk to the city centre for those arriving by train on the Airedale and Wharfedale lines.