BRADFORD Council’s leader has defended a city centre development project after questions over how it would benefit the wider district.

The £35m One City Park office development, due to open later this year, was included in a list of “key achievements” by Bradford Council in a recent report.

After a Councillor questioned how much publicity was being given to the One City Park development at a meeting last week, Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe pointed out that millions were also being spent on regeneration schemes in areas like Keighley and Baildon.

The Council’s Corporate Scrutiny Committee discussed a report on how the authority was progressing on a number of policies and projects at a meeting on Thursday.

One of the achievements included in the report was the progress on One City Park, which the report called “The first new speculative office building to be developed in Bradford for 25 years.”

The Grade A office building is currently being marketed ahead of its completion.

Fresh look at what One City Park will look like once completed

Councillor Peter Clarke (Cons) represents the Craven ward, which includes Silsden and Addingham, questioned the significance of the development to most people in Bradford.

He pointed out that details of the One City Park development were “at the very front” of the report, and argued that city centre developments would mean very little to people in the outskirts of the District.

Cllr Clarke said: “Some of these projects don’t bring the benefits we really need. They are just focused on Bradford city centre.”

Cllr Hinchcliffe replied to Cllr Clarke, criticising the “divisive” nature of his comments. She said: “Regeneration happens all across the District, all the time – money is being spent far and wide.

“There is the new Silsden Primary School, the new library in Baildon and the plans for the new Keighley Health hub.

“We can’t have a successful Keighley without a successful Bradford, we can’t have a successful Bradford without a successful Leeds. We all rely on our neighbours.

“We shouldn’t be having these debates trying to divide areas of the District against each other.”

David Shepherd, the Council’s new Director of Place, said he had previously had a role attracting businesses to Bradford. Referring to One City Park, he told the meeting: “Many businesses wanted to look at Bradford, but they couldn’t get their needs met here.

“The city didn’t meet their expectations.

“The development is gathering a lot a lot of credibility – it is getting a reputation for being an outstanding office building. The types of conversations we’re having with businesses is extremely different to where we were two years ago.

“I think it is a magnificent statement of Bradford’s ambition.”