European real estate manager ‘buys Bradford’s Westfield shopping site’

The shopping giant Westfield is said to have off-loaded the much-delayed project to European real estate manager Meyer Bergman.

The mall was to have been built on a 23-acre site in the city centre - but construction work never started, even after the area was razed nearly a decade ago.

Earlier this year the site was occupied by protesters angered at the delays.

Westfield, which owns shopping centres in London, postponed work after failing to attract enough tenants. The recession in 2008 dealt a further blow.

The Times reported today that the deal with London-based Meyer Bergman will be completed within the next two weeks.

Westfield had previously attempted to restart the project and last year and resubmitted a revised and reduced planning application for the scheme, which comprises 550,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space.

The company has so far not commented on the reported sale.