An announcement that developer Westfield will start preparatory works on Monday for the construction of its £320 million Broadway shopping centre has been met a mixed reaction from the city’s MPs and councillors.

David Ward (Bradford East) said he remains convinced work on the city centre site will finally gather pace in the coming weeks.

But George Galloway (Bradford West) and Gerry Sutcliffe (Bradford South) have called for Bradford Council chief executive Tony Reeves to consider his position if actual building work does not start by December 31.

The Telegraph & Argus exclusively revealed yesterday that the preparation works will start and more shops and start date announcements will be made within weeks.

The move comes nearly a decade after Westfield took over the site from developer Stannifer and after much uncertainty surrounding the future of the project.

Originally the site was expected to be completed by 2008 but the economic climate meant it remained undeveloped and the building work is now not expected to be completed until 2015.

Mr Ward (Lib Dem) said: “I am delighted to see this despite the doom and gloom that many people have quite understandably had after all this time.

“I have worked with Westfield on a regular basis for the last three years and was always convinced it was true because they are working flat out to make this happen.

“I was always confident it was going to happen. What we now need to do is maximise the return, not just in terms of the shopping centre, but of a massive building project in the heart of the city centre.”

Councillor Glen Miller, the Tory group leader on Bradford Council, was also optimistic about the project. He said: “I have been consistent in my view for the last six months that Westfield will start development in the last quarter of this year.

“I have met Westfield directors and I am confident in their conversation and body mannerisms that they will start the development and it will be about time. It is nice to see Bradford being recognised for something good for a change.”

But Mr Sutcliffe and Mr Galloway remained sceptical about the development timetable.

Mr Sutcliffe (Lab) said: “This is talk about preparatory work but doesn’t say actual work starting. I want to see bricks and mortar and the agreement it would start by December 31. I think Tony Reeves has staked a lot of his reputation on Westfield starting before the end of 2013 and if it doesn’t he has to consider his position, but if it does happen, fair enough.

“If it doesn’t then it clearly adds to the list of things going wrong in the city.”

Mr Galloway (Respect) said: “No-one would be happier than me if it does happen but everything they say I treat with extreme scepticism. Westfield is a commercial company and does what is commercially right for it, but I blame the people who ran the city who agreed a contract with a company that is a non-contract and has nothing enforceable in it.

“Westfield could continue to just leave that hole for another decade and no-one in Bradford could do a thing about it.

“I have called for the resignation of the Council’s chief executive because he is not fit for purpose because of Westfield and many other things.”

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, Liberal Democrats group leader on the Council, said she wanted to see the £1.5 million regeneration cash invested into the project a decade ago by the Council, returned in terms of jobs and commitment in Bradford East. “I want to see Westfield delivering on those promises they made,” she said.