Metro transport consultation

People across West Yorkshire are being invited to give their opinions on a draft plan that will set out the county’s transport priorities for the next three years.

The consultation runs until Friday 11 February, and printed copies of the consultation document will be available from local libraries in all five West Yorkshire districts, or on request from the Local Transport Plan team by calling 0113 348 1726 or emailing ltp@wypte.gov.uk.

You can read the document online and complete the questionnaire at this website, http://www.wyltp.com/getinvolved/ipconsultation.htm. The plans for Bradford Crossrail, which aims to connect both of Bradford's train stations to make one big train station do not feature on the plan, so if you support this idea please mention this in the questionnaire.

Public to be consulted on new BRI centre

The public is to be consulted alongside staff, patients and governors of Bradford's hospital trust to help decide what services will be provided in anew £28 million ward block.

Directors of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust agreed last year, subject to satisfactory financial performance, to construct two new wards and a revised main entrance at Bradford Royal Infirmary from April, 2012. The ward block, the biggest single project of a capital programme which will see £75million spent on improving patient care in Bradford’s hospitals over the next five years, will house a medical assessment facility for adult and elderly patients to replace wards three and four and one other service – either cancer or a new children’s unit.

The plans for the ward rest on the successful delivery of a three-year efficiency programme to save £50 million.

A consultation event for the public to attend will take place at Bradford Royal Infirmary on Monday, March 7 in the lecture theatre. Events for staff will take place at BRI on Thursday, March 3, and at St Luke’s on Tuesday, March 15. Information will also be made available on the trust’s Internet site to allow the public to review each of the proposals. The board of directors will then make a final decision on Wednesday, April 27th.

An artist's impression of what the new ward block might look like.

Firm withdraws bid to demolish thriving Wakefield Road local

The bosses of Pitts Wilson Electrical on Wakefield Road have withdrawn their bid to bulldoze the thriving Winston Churchill pub. A week after being given permission by the council to make a car park the firms directors have decided against demolishing the pub.

The pub is currently in administration with KPMG deciding its fate. Recently it came to light how the company was not responding to possible buyers offers, who would make use of the pub in its current form.













Regulars at Winston Churchill pub celebrate.

Plans for new surgery in Dudley Hill Road

An artist impression of the new Moorside surgery.

The Moorside Surgery practice of Dr Van der Wert and partners is currently based at 1, Thornbridge Mews, Eccleshill, but the partners have said it is no longer big enough to cope with patient demand.

They want to build a new surgery in Dudley Hill Road. The proposals, submitted to Bradford Council, give the practice three times as much space as the current surgery.

The development has the backing of NHS Bradford and Airedale and the surgery’s active patient group. Should the planning application succeed the practice hopes it would be completed within 12 months.

Future of the former Odeon to be discussed

The former Odeon building.

The future of the run down building that used to be the Odeon cinema is to be debated at a meeting in City Hall next month.

Bradford Council has already informed the Bradford Odeon Rescue Group (BORG) that the issue will be discussed in its Regeneration and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, February 15, and the report will be made public a few days beforehand.

The building has been planned for demolition to make way for the £40 million New Victoria Place development of offices, apartments, a hotel and restaurant. Developer Langtree Artisan has received planning approval and conservation area consent and the development is ready to start when anchor tenants had been secured.

Councillor David Green, the Council’s executive member for regeneration and economy, said: “There has been no change to the ownership of the Odeon, except insofar as it being one of Yorkshire Forward’s assets which will be likely at some stage to be transferred into the hands of the Homes and Communities Agency.”

He said it was important that the Odeon and other sites were not “simply sold off to the highest bidder”.

Asked whether he was concerned about the state of the Odeon given that the £24.4 million City Park scheme on its doorstep is due to open this year, Coun Green said: “I would be looking for clarity on plans for the Odeon within the next nine months.”

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, leader of the Council’s Liberal Democrat group, said the Odeon should be returned to the Council for it to make the decision on its future. “We have always held the view that the towers on the building should be retained,” she said.

“I know what’s not an option and that’s to have a £24.4m park next to half a police station wrapped in plastic and a tatty Odeon building.”

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, leader of the Conservative group, said: “I would like to see the underlying character of the building retained in any new development.”

Bradford reporter will closely follow this story as the Odeon building is an issue that divides many Bradfordians. Many who can remember it in its heyday want it restoring and any new developments to make use of the iconic towers. Others would be happy to see it demolished and view it the current building as an eyesore that is past its prime.

City Park is on schedule

The image shows the City park site on 23rd January. The water fountains can be seen to have been put in place.

Barra Mac Ruairi, Bradford council's Strategic Director for Regeneration, with the latest on City Park has said, "Since the construction team started on site in December 2009, major progress has been made on the building of City Park. The harsh winter conditions have impacted upon construction as it has created difficult ground conditions. However work continues at speed and we can see the first paving sets being laid. Work is still progressing towards the scheduled completion in September".

Currently the work is focused on the underground structure that will store the water when its not in use, the construction of a pedestrian crossing across Prince's Way and the laying of paving for the plaza area.

Once complete the six acre park in Bradford will have the largest water feature of any city in the UK. The pool can be drained to host concerts, carnivals, markets, sports events and theatre productions. The park is costing £24.4 million, whether this is money well spent remains to be seen. The council are hoping the park brings much needed investment and jobs to the city centre and one council report envisaged £80 million of investment as a result. This seems ambitious, but time will tell whether this investment comes to fruition.

Bradford company posts good results

Provident Financial Chief Executive Peter Crook.

Bradford-based specialist lender Provident Financial has performed well in 2010 and is on track to achieve better-than-expected profits for the year to December 31.

The company transferred 700 of its head office staff to a new base on Thornton Road in the £50 million Southgate development last year. It expects to announce pre-tax profits of £141 million in March.

In a trading update, Provident said demand for doorstep credit handled by local agents, which had picked up in the autumn, had remained strong through the Christmas period despite bad weather.

Year-on-year sales growth in the fourth quarter was nine per cent, as Provident continued to focus on lending to existing good-quality customers. Customer numbers grew over the year by about one per cent and income was also marginally ahead of the previous year, both in line with expectations.

Vanquis Bank, the group’s credit card operation, increased customer numbers and income by around 25 per cent and generated a strong flow of new business in December.

Thriving Bradford pub to be knocked down for car park

As reported in the Telegraph and Argus today a busy Bradford pub is to be knocked down to be replaced by a car park, after a questionable decision by councillors at City Hall.

The Winston Churchill Inn, on Wakefield Road, will be demolished after the Bradford Area Planning Panel found it had no grounds for ruling against an application by neighbouring firm, Pitt Wilson Electrical.

Yesterday’s meeting heard how the pub’s licensee, Pat Robinson, had been in hospital because she was so distressed about losing her livelihood and her home.

It also heard that receivers, KPMG Ltd, which took control of the Winston Churchill when its owners went into administration, had not entertained bids to buy the pub.

Albert Cleghorn, a regular at the pub, told the meeting he had made an offer to buy the pub some months ago, but no negotiations had been entered into.

Coun Robinson said: “The fact that he hasn’t had a response from the receivers is deplorable in my opinion.”

Reaching the decision, committee member Coun John Pennington (Con, Bingley Rural) said: “After we offered to defer the matter from the last planning panel, we have given it a fair chance, but sadly our hands are tied.”

Speaking afterwards, Coun Jamil said: “I’m saddened and upset by this outcome. It’s a community facility and it should have been saved on this alone.”

The Winston Churchill has stood on Wakefield Road since the 1700s when it was a coaching Inn. This makes it all the more saddening that a building that is 300 years old can be disregarded in this way especially when there are possible buyers to make use of the building.

Bradford's Urban Garden closed

Bradford's Urban Garden has been closed for drainage work that could cost up to £30,000. Heavy rain over the last few weeks has created big pools. A Bradford council spokesman said that the ground has turned out to be less porous than was expected. Also when the plans were submitted there was no need for land drainage to be taken into account because no buildings were going to be built.

Bradford Council, Westfield and Yorkshire Forward will split the costs for adding drainage piping, which could be as much as £30,000. Bradford Reporter feels this is a waste of money, in addition to the £300,000 that was used to make the park. The park would have made more sense if it was a car park. The council could have also charged a nominal fee with funds helping Bradford. Many shop managers located close to the area, including Stead and Simpson's manager, which is due to close, feel a car park would have been better use of the land. A car park would attract more people to use the neighbouring shops. The park debacle is yet another failure of the council to listen to its people.

Bradford City park webcam

You can view a webcam of the City park in Centenary Square with daily updates at www.bradford.gov.uk/citypark.

The image shows an artist's impression of what the park will look like once complete.

Another shop bites the dust

Stead & Simpson, one of Britain's oldest retailers that has had a presence in Bradford city centre for 50 years is due to close on Thursday, 20th January. The shop is one of a very small number of shoe shops left in the city centre. The shop manager, Walter Lazorky, who has been running the shop for 30 years blames the stalled Westfield centre for sounding the death knell. He also predicted many more shops could soon follow suit.

The closure of the shoe shop will leave five employees without work. News of the closure comes at a time when the council is supposedly trying to "re-engage" with city centre traders through consultations.

Mr Lazoryk also said that rather than turning the Westfield site into an urban park it should have been made into a car park, which could also have charged a small fee and he believes this would have attracted more shoppers to the area.

Mr Lazoryk said that although the shop had a loyal customer base there was no hope in attracting new customers and therefore the shop was no longer viable. Other stores such as HMV, could soon close as the music retailer has reported disappointing sales over the Christmas period.