The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has informed Bradford Council that it will provide £3.5m in funding to secure the future of two major city centre sites, the former Odeon building and the former police station.

The investment of £1.3m for the former Odeon and £2.2m for the former police station, which both sit adjacent to City Park, will allow Bradford Council to complete its transformation of the city centre.

David Curtis, HCA Executive Director for the North East, Yorkshire and The Humber, said: "Since assuming ownership of the former Odeon we’ve been determined to secure the best outcome for the site while meeting the ambitions of the Council and the people of Bradford. We’ve also been looking hard at the options for the former police station, which sits adjacent to the City Park and is a very important part of the Council’s plans for a business district in the city centre.

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"The transfers will give the Council control of two sites integral to the transformation of the city centre and our £3.5m investment will help them to prepare the sites for development. It should also give confidence to interested groups to finalise their plans for returning the former Odeon to economic and social use that will benefit the Bradford community.

"In the past 12 months, we’ve already spent £1.3m on essential repairs and maintenance to the former Odeon, which stopped the rot and gave the building three years of life. The additional funding that we’re confirming today takes our total investment in the Odeon to more than £2.5m and we look forward to supporting the Council in its efforts to create a long-term future for this much-loved building."

(CD/H)