New flats and apartments to be built in Bradford city centre show there is real confidence in the city, developers said today.

And the creation of more and more high-quality living space shows what "phenomenal" potential there is in the city, they said.

Riz Haq, whose West Park Properties is to build in Little Germany, and Russell Baker, of Asquith Properties, who is also building in the area, both think Bradford is on the up.

They join developers across the city who are increasingly seeing the city as a place to invest. And the people leading the city's regeneration welcomed the development as the perfect accompaniment to their plans.

The planning applications come three months after the launch of the masterplan commissioned by Bradford City Centre Regeneration from international architect Will Alsop. It sets City Hall on a lake and creates a city in an urban park with a business forest and an extended new Broadway shopping scheme.

Maud Marshall, chief executive of Bradford Centre Regeneration, the joint venture company which is spearheading the rebirth of Bradford through the master plan, said: "I think the Alsop plan is a major wake-up call for the city. Here we are seeing some real confidence in Bradford as a living city.

"I will be delighted to speak to all developers at the earliest possible stages so we can all sing from the same hymn sheet - respecting the great quality of many existing buildings while bringing in others of a high-quality contemporary nature."

Mr Baker said: "We see Bradford as being a wonderful growth area. The potential is phenomenal and we want to be the prime developers."

But he will have competition from Mr Haq who said he was so happy that he hoped to create two other apartment developments in the city centre bringing the total investment by his company to £50 million.

Bradford Council's executive member for corporate and regeneration Councillor Simon Cooke said: "We are seeing a great deal of interest and commitment in the city and I think we have to pay credit to people in the past and present who have put so much very hard work into reaching this stage.

"The scale of investment is unprecedented and we see housing as a central part of the strategy for the city."