A MAJOR Bradford retail site could be given a new lease of life after plans for a new supermarket were revealed.

Iceland Foods Ltd has lodged an application with Bradford Council to alter the former Toys R Us unit at Manningham Retail Park, Manningham Lane, so it can be brought back into use as a supermarket.

The details provided at present are brief and it is not clear whether or not the store will be an Iceland or sub-brand Food Warehouse, but it would lead to the creation of five full-time and 30 part-time jobs

A JD Gyms state-of-the-art ‘megagym’ is now the only business at the retail park after the Toys R US store closed earlier this year when the company went into administration.

Other retailers over the years have included the Dreams bed company, Jollyes pet shop and the Brantano shoe shop.

An Iceland store at the development would be an addition to the chain’s other Bradford supermarkets in Tong and Thornbury.

Councillor Nazam Azam (Lab, City) welcomed the news.

He said while it was unfortunate to see Toys R Us close, the addition of a national chain was welcome.

Cllr Azam said it was “definitely positive”, particularly in terms of the picture of the city and giving confidence to other investors.

Val Summerscales, of the Bradford Chamber of Trade, said: “It’s good news.

“Obviously the Toys R Us unit being vacant was not what we’d want to see on a road into the city centre.”

She said it would be good for employment and echoed Cllr Nazam’s view that it could encourage others to the retail park.

“It’s positive news all around,” she said.

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Earlier this year, Richard Walker, managing director of the frozen food chain and son of founder and chairman Sir Malcolm Walker, said the chain had “active and aggressive” plans for new stores to grow its Food Warehouse arm.

He said the firm was looking at all the “opportunities out there”.

The supermarket already has 66 stores under its fledgling Food Warehouse brand, which combines a cash-and-carry format and its more traditional Iceland style, and Mr Walker said it was planning to add at least another 30 each year.

First launched in 2014, the Food Warehouse stores – largely based in retail parks – are around three times the size of traditional Iceland outlets. The closest store to Bradford is one in the Kirkstall area of Leeds.

The group is also ploughing “millions” of pounds into eco-friendly initiatives, having been the first major retailer to pledge to go plastic-free on own-label products and the first UK supermarket to crackdown on palm oil.

Iceland was contacted for a comment on proposals for the Manningham Retail Park.