This is the first glimpse of new plans for Bradford's flagship £300 million Broadway centre, set to open to shoppers in 2008.

The picture, revealed today by the Telegraph & Argus, shows the light, airy and modern structure that will sit astride half-a-million-square feet of redeveloped city centre space, providing hundreds of shops, luxury apartments and offices.

The drawing forms part of amended plans submitted to council planning chiefs for final approval later this month.

The application for amendments aiming to improve the vast retail scheme has been submitted to Bradford Council by its new owners, Westfield.

It is being fast-tracked to the Council's regulatory and appeals committee on June 29.

Planners say the appearance of the entire shopping centre is paramount in the setting of the developing city.

Council planning manager Dave Preece today welcomed new proposals to widen the streets in the scheme which would still have transparent roofs giving a light, open aspect.

The retail complex will have six neighbourhood centres rather than one vast arcade, but Mr Preece said details, including final decisions on shop fronts and windows, still needed to be finalised and would be conditions of the planning consent.

Mr Preece said the size and area of the city covered by the shopping centre remained the same and the concept had not changed since Westfield acquired it from original developers Stannifer, but they would be seeking more information on changes to parking plans and access to the carpark.

"We have asked for a revised traffic assessment and more information on what the changes would look like. We will be looking closely at traffic in Hall Ings," he said.

Westfield wants to change the drum-shaped appearance of the carpark included in the original plans for the scheme by Stannifer, approved by the Council's regulatory and appeals committee last year.

Westfield, which is the world's biggest shopping centre operator, acquired the scheme from former developers Stannifer at the end of last year and aims for completion in 2008.

Since Westfield bought the scheme UK operations director John Burton and his team have examined it and say they have worked towards improvements.

The committee will consider the amendments as variations to the existing planning consent for the scheme which was given last year and still stands.

Councillor Stanley King, who will chair the meeting, assured shoppers they will now see rapid change in the city centre.

"This particular scheme is so important to Bradford that I am willing to meet at 4.20am on a Sunday morning if necessary.

"As a Council we have to do everything we can to keep it moving, we don't want the city centre looking like a bomb site for any longer that is necessary," he said.

Approval by the committee will mean compulsory purchase orders would be served within days on the final few businesses still trading on the site earmarked for the scheme.

Council officers will face a race against time to serve final notice on about 15 shops and offices still occupied and trading to move out.

Compulsory purchase orders were approved against the original businesses occupying the earmarked following a public inquiry two years ago but they run out in August.

Today Bhs announced it would close its Bradford store within the next five weeks but confirmed it would return to a major shop in the new Broadway shopping centre when it is complete.

It is one of several businesses intending to move into the new scheme and others will relocate. Terms and issues involving compensation will be discussed with the companies who have faced years of uncertainty since the Broadway scheme was first proposed.

The notices are the last major step to clear the way for construction of the Broadway scheme.

The £20 million Connecting the City project laying the infrastructure for the scheme is on target to finish by autumn when Westfield plans to take over the site for development and completion in 2008.