THE firm handling the sale of the lease for Bradford's Odsal Stadium has said it is "working through" the bids it has received - after a key deadline passed. 

Odsal's lease was put up for sale last October and property consultancy Knight Frank was appointed to handle bids.

The deadline for bids to take over the lease of the iconic stadium - which is home to the Bradford Bulls - was 12.30pm yesterday. 

When news of the lease being put up for sale broke, Jonathan Hyland, partner with Knight Frank, said: “This is an absolutely fantastic opportunity to acquire one of the most famous sporting stadia in Yorkshire.

"Odsal has a wonderful history and is one of the jewels in the crown of the city of Bradford."

Mr Hyland told the Telegraph & Argus today: "The Leeds office of property consultancy Knight Frank, who asked for best bids for the Odsal lease by Wednesday, January 31, are now working through the proposals they have received.

"Knight Frank are undertaking due diligence on the parties that have responded and will be reporting back to their client, the Rugby Football League Ltd (RFL), in the near future with their recommendations."

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Odsal Stadium from aboveOdsal Stadium from above (Image: Knight Frank)

The stadium, which opened in 1934, is currently leased by the RFL on a 150-year term from Bradford Council on a peppercorn rent.

Earlier in the bidding process, Bulls' chiefs had urged Bradford Council to "reacquire the lease from the RFL and deliver a community stadium for the sport in Bradford" - but the Council made it clear this would not be possible as it faced its own financial pressures.

It has not yet been revealed how many bids to take over the stadium's lease have been received by Knight Frank - but the company previously said there had been a "good deal of interest".

Earlier this week, the Bulls revealed to the Telegraph & Argus that the club had submitted its "expression of interest" in taking over the lease of the stadium.

 Jason Hirst, chief executive of the Bradford Bulls, said: "I can tell you we have just submitted our expression of interest.

"We'll wait and see what happens with that.

"They haven't given us a timeline but I'm sure it will be weeks not months.

"We'll see what happens then and that will determine what we can and can't do with Odsal, and whoever the new leaseholder is will have their ideas.

"At this stage, it's a difficult question to answer.

"But the headline, if you like, is that we just today (January 30) submitted our expression of interest."