House building crisis

Government figures have shown that the number of new homes completed in England last year fell to its lowest level since 1923. With just 102,570 properties being built in 2010, 13% down from the previous 12 months, and the lowest level during peacetime since 1923, according to Communities and Local Government.

The annual level is well below the 232,000 properties it is estimated need to be built in England each year to keep pace with rising demand.

The figures came as the Government announced the first £200 million of a new scheme to encourage local communities to build more homes has been allocated to councils. It has set aside nearly £1 billion to kick-start its New Homes Bonus initiative, which will see local authorities given extra cash for every new home built in their area.

Under the scheme, the Government will match the council tax raised through new homes for the first six years, with councils receiving up to 36% more for affordable homes. Money will also be paid for empty homes brought back into use. As a result, councils will get an average of more than £9,000 for every band D home built, or nearly £11,000 for an affordable property, during the six years. The Government estimates that a community that builds an additional 1,000 properties could earn up to £10 million.

Around 326 local authorities will share the first £200 million, with Tower Hamlets getting the most at £4.3 million, followed by Islington at £3.7 million and Birmingham at £3.2 million. Other councils making the top 10 that will receive the most from the first payout include Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Bradford and Milton Keynes.

A new housing development in the Otley Road area of Bradford.

Council outlines how it will spend £105m

The Council has set out how it will spend £105m in its capital programme for 2011/12 and it seems that the elderly and children with special needs stand to gain the most. £15m The Council had previously committed to the Odsal Sporting Village has been withdrawn, but new care homes and special schools will receive funding.

Council Leader Ian Greenwood made the announcements at an executive meeting in City Hall on Tuesday. It followed 60 hours of meetings between political group leaders since the summer, which had made priorities of protecting the most vulnerable, the regeneration of the city centre and the creation of jobs.

Breakdown of the budget

• £17m to replace 11 care homes with 2 new homes and extra external care housing;
• £10m to build a school for children with social, emotional and behavioural needs;
• £5m to convert the former Thorn Park School for the Deaf into a new Communication and Interaction School;
• £9m to be spent on a package of measures to support jobs, inward investment and regeneration, but the details were the subject of confidential negotiations;
• £17.5m in regeneration to support moving the magistrate’s court;
• £1m to cover the cost of a new health centre in Keighley;
• £9.4m on Connecting Airedale, a scheme which aims to improve highways on Canal Road and bus priority measures on the A650 corridor.

All 90 councillors will decide on the proposals, as well as an alternative budget being compiled by the Conservative group, tomorrow.











Bradford Magistrates Court, which is due to be moved to a new site.

Bradford films to share screen with major movies

Films shot in the Bradford district will be shown alongside world premieres of major films at the 12-day Bradford International Film Festival. This year's festival will feature big-budget movies, independent films, silent movies, horror films and classic Westerns.

More than 100 films will be showcased from countries including France, Romania, Argentina and Japan. As previously reported Woody Allen's You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger, that stars Anthony Hopkins and Antonio Banderas will open the film festival. The closing night will be the UK premiere of The Messenger, starring Woody Harrelson and Steve Buscemi.

At yesterday’s launch in Bradford, the festival’s artistic director Tony Earnshaw said: “Cinema is about escapism, and there is much to escape to in this festival. I hope audiences will be inspired, empowered, enraged and outraged, will re-connect with their emotions and fall in love with film – for the first time or all over again.”

National Media Museum director Colin Philpott called the festival a jewel in Bradford’s crown.

“It has established a reputation for providing opportunities to see films people wouldn’t normally get access to, and bringing important and iconic film industry figures to Bradford,” he said.

Bradford International Film Festival runs from March 16 to 27. For tickets, call 0844 856 3797. A film-making course will also be running at the festival, with a number of bursaries available to cover costs. Visit www.bradford-city-of-film.com for more information.

Broadacre House to be given £5m makeover by Premier Inn

£5 million will be spent by Premier Inn in developing the former Yorkshire Water building Broadacre House in Vicar Lane into a hotel. The hotel will create 70 new jobs in the city centre. The ten-storey tower will undergo refurbishment and open for business as a 118 bed hotel at the end of November.

Kevin Murray, acquisition manager (north) for Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants, which owns the hotel chain, said: “Premier Inn is the biggest budget hotel chain in the UK today and we are on a mission to bring great quality rooms and great value to even more locations across the country. Investing in Bradford is a superb opportunity for us.

“It means regenerating an important city centre site and transforming it into an attractive hotel. It also means Whitbread creating 70 new jobs as we build our future in the city.”

The Premier Inn will join the recently opened Jurys Inn in the city centre as Bradford is undergoing somewhat of a boom in the hotel industry.



















An artist's impression of the new Premier Inn.

Council publishes list of purchases costing £500 or more from December

The council has published a list of its expenditure of items £500 or more from December. It shows the Council spent £18 million on 2,344 purchases for services or items costing at least £500 in December.

All councils now have to show expenditures such as this, so the public can see where their money is being spent on a monthly basis.

To see the full list follow this link List of council payments.

City Hall.

Film with Bradford connection wins at Sundance Festival

Tyrannosaur, a film written and directed by actor Paddy Considine, has won awards at the Sundance International Film Festival. It won awards for its direction and the breakout performances of its actors, Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman.

The cast includes Bradford actor Samuel Bottomley, who is a member of Buttershaw St Paul's Amateur Operatic Dramatic Society and the location manage was Danny Burraway from Bingley. The film was shot in Wakefield and Leeds and follows the story of a man plagued with violent rage until he meets a Christian charity shop worker.

The film is the latest with a connection to Bradford to receive awards. The King's Speech, was partly filmed at Odsal Stadium and The Arbor was shot on Buttershaw estate.

Tyrannosaur is due for release this autumn and was produced on Warp Films’ low-budget feature initiative Warp X, which supports emerging film talent.



















Director Considine with the actors Peter Mullan and Olivia Colman.

£640,000 revealed on keeping Odeon building as its future is to be debated

£640,000 has been revealed as the amount taxpayers have been left out of pocket for keeping the Odeon standing. This is what it has cost for maintenance, security and emergency repairs as the building awaits its fate.

Yorkshire Forward has spent the money whilst the debate on its future still continues. Planning permission has been given for the New Victoria Place scheme by developer Langtree Artisan. Delays on the Odeon's replacement have been caused by the Council not wanting a similar situation as with the stalled Westfield site. As a result the Council is asking for stronger assurances that the developers have enough money to see the project through to completion.

On Tuesday a meeting is expected to take place at City Hall to discuss the dilapidated building's future. by Yorkshire Forward.

Grand Central train offer

Grand Central trains have a great ticket offer to London from Bradford Interchange for just £25 return. Go on to www.grandcentralrail.co.uk/25poundreturn.html for more information.

Construction of Sikh Gurdwara nearing completion

Gurdwara Singh Sabha, which is one of six Sikh places of worship in Bradford, is currently building a new extension to its Grant Street site. An increasing congregation meant that the existing building was no longer suitable for its use. The new extension will almost double the size of the current gurdwara (Sikh place of worship) and provide better facilities for the disabled and elderly. Recently the construction has reached roof level and is on course to be completed for the latter half of this year. For more information visit the gurdwara website http://www.singhsabhabradford.co.uk/.










3D visuals of what the completed gurdwara will look like when completed.
























A current image of the site.

Bradford market voted best in UK

Bradford's St James's market has been voted the best in the UK after cutting the amount of waste it produces by 1,600 per cent. The fruit and vegetable market was voted best wholesale market by the National Association of British Market Authorities.

The judges said they were particularly impressed by the market as it now recycles 80 percent of all its waste. St James's was in the running against big name wholesale markets like Smithfield and Billingsgate in London. Colin Wolstenholme, Bradford Council's markets manager, said St James's had been transformed since 2004 when its waste costs were "spiralling out of control".
"Working with the tenants' association we decided to look at all the different waste the market produces - things like cardboard, plastic, wood and unsold fruit and vegetable," he said.

"All the waste - about 1,500 tonnes a year - was sent to landfill. A tremendous amount of waste." The market now sells around 20 tonnes of cardboard a month to a paper producer and unsold fruit and vegetables are sent to Yorkshire Water's treatment works in Esholt.

Bradford is also the first market authority in the country to introduce a "pay-as-you-throw" scheme.

St James's Market, which is located just of the Wakefield A650 road.

Witter to fight Khan for world title

Bradford’s former world champion has been sounded out about a fight against the WBA light-welterweight title holder on April 16. Khan’s management team made an offer and Witter, who returns to the ring next month, is ready to jump at the chance.

Witter said: “My manager John Ingle spoke to me about the Khan offer and I’m up for this 100 per cent. It would be an opportunity too good to turn down fighting for a world title again. Khan, you have never boxed anyone with my experience, calibre and credentials.”

Witter has not fought since 2009, when he lost to Devon Alexander in an unsuccessful bid to regain the WBC belt. He faces Romanian-born Canadian Victor Lupo in Mississauga on February 19 – his first outing in the heavier welterweight division. He added: “Training has been perfect and sparring the likes of (British welter champion) Kell Brook has sharpened my skills.”

Bradford boxer Junior Witter.

Anger at proposed site for Ladbrokes

Plans for a new Ladbrokes bingo hall in one of Bradford city centre’s busiest shopping streets have sparked anger. Bradford City Centre Management, part of Bradford Council’s Department of Regeneration and Culture, has decided to opposed the plans which would see the former Woolwich bank in Kirkgate, currently occupied by fashion store Glance, turned into a bingo hall.

The building’s owners, London Investments, has applied to the Council for a change of use to allow it to be turned into a licensed bingo hall, to be occupied by “one of the UK’s leading bingo operators”. Councillor David Green, Bradford Council’s executive member for regeneration and economy, said: “Kirkgate is one of the main shopping thoroughfares in the city centre and I believe the shops there should be used for retail. There are more than sufficient bingo and amusement centres in the city centre and if we are to continue working to revive the retail offer in Bradford it is important that we try and bring as many of the empty units back into use as shops rather than amusement arcades or bingo halls, because I think it would be a lost opportunity for the city centre.”

The proposed site, currently occupied by fashion store Glance.

The council lists 28 buildings to be sold

Bradford Council have released details of 28 buildings that they plan to sell in order to save £7.5 million. All 286 of the Council’s office buildings are being reviewed. Sixty-nine were evaluated for their suitability and condition in the first phase of the project, with 28 of those set to be sold off. Running and energy costs, as well as the backlog of maintenance and carbon dioxide emissions, of each office are being taken into account.

A main aim of the estates strategy is to relocate staff to reinforce the Council’s presence in the city centre. Councillor David Green, the Council’s executive member for regeneration and the economy, said: “If we can increase the number of people working in the city centre it will increase footfall in the retail area. It will help to boost the businesses that are currently in the city centre and make it more attractive to new investment".

He also said “Some of these sites will go to auction, some may be looked at as potential development sites and with some, not necessarily from this batch, we might get community groups coming forward to take them on.”

THE 28 PROPERTIES

• 28 Gaythorne Terrace, Clayton.
• Hazelhurst, 723 Leeds Road, Bradford Moor.
• Interfaith Education Centre, St Andrew’s Place, Listerhills.
• Information Shop, Broadway, Bradford city centre.
• Bowling Park lodge, East Bowling.
• 31 Saltaire Road, ground floor office – lease terminating.
• 13A Chapel Lane, Bingley.
• Wesley Place, Silsden.
• Bingley Cemetery lodge.
• Nab Wood Cemetery lodge.
• Scholemoor Cemetery lodge.
• Utley Cemetery lodge.
• Horton Park lodge.
• Unit 14D Orchard House, Lawkholme Lane, Keighley.
• Bradford & District Youth Offending Team, Manor Lane, Shipley.
• South Square Community Centre offices, Thornton – lease surrendered.
• 26 Mayfield Terrace, Clayton.
• Youth Justice Service, Barkerend Road, Bradford Moor.
• Holybrook House, Romanby Shaw, Greengates.
• 215 Lumb Lane, Manningham.
• 9 Romanby Shaw, Greengates.
• 1-4 & 6 Springfield and Springfield House, Squire Lane, Girlington.
• Blakehill Grange, Bradford Moor.

The fire damaged Interfaith Centre, which is to be sold off.

Woody Allen's film to open the 17th Bradford International Film Festival

Woody Allen’s new film You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger will open the 17th annual Bradford International Film Festival next month.

Tony Earnshaw, the festival’s artistic director, said: “We are thrilled to have Woody Allen’s new film open the festival this year. We are long-time fans of his work and have enjoyed previews of some of his previous films at BIFF including Everyone Says I Love You and Deconstructing Harry. I know our audience will be as delighted as we are to have this early opportunity to see his new film".

Allen has attracted stellar British talent for his new feature including Anthony Hopkins, Gemma Jones, Pauline Collins, Ewen Bremner and Anna Friel. As ever, the festival will present a range of features from countries all over the world, headline guests, short films and the perennially popular Widescreen Weekend, which once again will present extremely rare titles and old favourites.

The festival will run from Wednesday, March 16, to Sunday, March 27. For information visit nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/biff