Video: Construction starts at Bradford’s ‘hole in the ground’

The start of major construction works follows a two-month period of preparatory works.

The new centre in the heart of the city is estimated to create 1,500 construction jobs and 2,500 new retail jobs for Bradford.

A spokesman for Westfield, which is behind the scheme, said: “The commencement of the construction works marks a major milestone in the delivery of the shopping centre and the future of Bradford’s retail landscape. The shopping centre will provide a significant economic boost to the city creating thousands of jobs in both the construction phase and on completion. From Monday, we will be able to see the development begin to take shape.”

It is almost six years since Westfield mothballed the site leaving the city centre scarred by what became known as the “hole in the ground” and 15 years since a new shopping centre was first mooted.

Work came to a halt at the site in 2008 as the credit crunch bit and the slow progress on the scheme has blighted the city centre for years. A temporary garden put on the site in 2010 closed today.