WORK to create two new “enterprise zones” in Bradford could begin within the next 12 months, following years of delays.

Proposals to create nine enterprise zones throughout West Yorkshire date back to 2016, and involve three sites in the Bradford District - 7.06 hectares of land off Gain Lane, 4.1 hectares on Parry Lane and 8.5 hectares of Staithgate Lane.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority is behind the scheme, and the aim is to create areas - “suitable for a range of activities including advanced manufacturing and the related supply chain and logistics operations.”

The Authority says the 12 zones would create thousands of jobs.

It has now been revealed that work on three of the Bradford schemes will begin in the 2019/20 financial year.

The Gain Lane and Parry Lane sites are among those three.

At a meeting of the Combined Authority’s West Yorkshire and York Investment Committee next week members will hear that some of the enterprise zones are finally moving forward.

The third site is in the Aire Valley, and the committee will hear that the three projects have a combined total value of £15.7 million.

Last year Bradford Councillors raised concerns about the seeming lack of progress on the Bradford projects, which are being called the M62 Corridor Enterprise Zones.

In November the Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee were given updates on a number of regeneration projects when members questioned the lack of progress.

They were told that although Parry Lane was in Council ownership, negotiations had been ongoing with the owners of the other sites.

Members were also told that without the Enterprise Zone status, it was unlikely the sites would be developed over the next five years.

A report going to the Investment Committee next Wednesday says: “Activity on the Enterprise Zones is beginning to increase with three sites expecting to start on site in 2019/20.

“These are the Aire Valley Power Enhancement as well as two sites in the M62 Enterprise Zone: Gain Lane and Parry Lane.”

However, the report contains no update on the Staithgate Lane Enterprise Zone, other than that work is unlikely to start before 2020 - the same year funding for the project runs out.

There is also no update on when work will begin in a planned Enterprise Zone in Calderdale - Clifton Business Park in Brighouse.

Discussions about the zones held at previous meetings have been kept confidential.

When the Enterprise Zone sites were proposed the Authority said the Bradford sites were chosen due to their good transport links and proximity to the M62.

Businesses based there on the sites will get incentives including up to 100 per cent business rate discount of up to £275,000 over five years.

The Committee meets at Wellington House, Wellington Street, Leeds at 11am on Wednesday May 8.