A LONDON based company that planned on re-locating to Bradford had to opt to move elsewhere when they were unable to find any suitable office space.

Members of Bradford Council’s Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee were being given an update on regeneration projects in the city centre - including the office development One City Park, at a meeting last night.

During the discussion members were told of how important developments like this were in attracting high end businesses to Bradford.

They heard how the lack of Grade A office space in the city had recently led to one large company opting to move to the North East rather than Bradford.

One City Park is a £25.8 million Grade A office development that will be built on the site of the former Tyrls Police Station next to City Park.

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Plans for offices on the site date back over 17 years, but while the wider City Park area was developed as an urban park, the office development has been delayed several times.

Site work is finally due to start this spring, with construction earmarked for May 2021 and for the office to be completed by Autumn 2022.

A report to the committee said the development was in a "unique, attractive and price competitive location."

The development would create 9,100sq m gross commercial accommodation with 5,240sq m of Grade A office space.

Members of the committee were told that the building would be a "flexible" work place.

When asked if the building would be marketed to one business or multiple businesses, Shelagh O’Neill, assistant director for economy and development, said: "The occupier could take one floor, two floors or a quarter of a floor.

"The ground floor will be a flexible working place that will enable people to work in a collaborative environment.

"It is about as flexible as a building can be."

She was asked if the development would be built before any businesses had signed up, and replied by highlighting the importance of having such space to entice companies to the city.

She said: "It is difficult to get someone to sign up if the building doesn’t exist.

“We were recently preparing a pitch to a company from South East London that wanted to move and Bradford was their first choice.

“They liked what they saw and found Bradford a very welcoming place.

“But we couldn’t find a property for them, and we lost them to a development in the North East.

"We didn’t have the right premises for them.

“We won’t make shortlists if we don’t have the right property.”

Late last year it was announced the Bradford Council had partnered with Muse Developments to press ahead with the One City Park plan.