BRADFORD Council is preparing bids to the Government's Levelling Up fund that could see £80 million invested in the district.

The fund allows local authorities to bid for up to £20m funding for one project in each Parliamentary constituency.

In the first wave of funding announcements, Bradford Council was informed that its bid for the Bradford West Constituency was successful.

The £20m was awarded to a plan to build a leisure and wellbeing centre on a site off Squire Lane.

The second round of bids is now open, and Councils have until early July to submit bids for up to £20m funding for transport, regeneration or culture projects.

£20 million grant to build new leisure centre in Bradford

When asked if Bradford Council was submitting bids for the remaining constituencies in this round, a spokesperson said: “The Council believes the Bradford District is the UK’s number one Levelling Up opportunity.

“We are working on the details, but can confirm that Levelling Up bids are being prepared for Bradford East, South, Keighley and Bingley (as part of the Shipley area).”

Details of what the bids will be for were not revealed. However, the Council has previously said the Shipley bid would be for a new swimming pool/leisure facility for Bingley, and the Bradford East bid could be for a "creative and cultural hub" based at Bradford Industrial Museum.

When the Council's Executive was recently asked if it was preparing a bid for Bradford South, the response said the authority was: "assessing options for the development of Odsal Stadium, future potential for the Richard Dunn site and proposals for bringing development land forward adjacent to the M606."