An architect who is an expert in the re-birth of cities today called for a green Bradford with culture at its heart.

Veejay Taheem sees Bradford as a city to be noted for architecture, green spaces and contemporary museums, shops and business.

But Mr Taheem, a lecturer at the Manchester School of Architecture, stressed the need to involve professionals, including developers, architects and business chiefs, when decisions were made on the city's future.

The proposals were also supported by property developer Peter Turner, who graduated from Bradford University with a law degree and has taken a wide interest in regeneration.

But Mr Taheem said: "This isn't a thing to go through an internal committee. It is very important to include professional people."

Mr Taheem, of Bradford's VJ Associates, used the city as a focus for regeneration courses for students from across Britain last year.

He said: "Bradford has huge potential, but it needs to be fostered with critical evaluation."

Mr Taheem has been in Bradford since 1974, when his family moved from India and has a degree in architecture.

He said: "Bradford isn't the richest city and we have to try to get investors in.

"We ran a project in Manchester on the regeneration of cities with an evaluation of Bradford. City Hall played a major part as the focal area of the city."

Perhaps the demolition of the Tyrls police station and the magistrates courts could make a green area.

"The site of Provincial House would have been magnificent for a contemporary museum and could have become a symbolic statement of what the city is trying to be. We should think about how the city would be remembered by people who visited it.

"With the Broadway scheme the main thing to me is how the space between buildings is add-ressed. It could be a place of green areas, water features, landscaping."

Mr Turner described how as a child he had watched the filth, grime and soot which had accumulated in the city centre buried under bulldozers to be replaced with clean Portland stone.

"Few people thought about the loss of beautiful architecture or our heritage which could not be replaced. However, much of old Bradford remains and the buildings have been cleaned, revealing their Victorian character.

"Council initiatives such as better pedestrianisation, street furniture and the creation of Centenary Square have all added to the Bradford feel."

He spoke out against the proposed demolition of the Odeon Cinema in view of its history.

He welcomed the planned demolition of the Broadway shopping centre but added that he was "not inspired with much hope" by its replacement.

"As usual the developers want to use as much space as possible, and least possible cost to themselves," he said.