Bradford Council is withdrawing its £15 million commitment for Odsal Sporting Village.

The ambitious plans, which involve providing an updated stadium for Bradford Bulls, appear to be in tatters after Council leader Ian Greenwood told the Telegraph & Argus that money for Odsal had been removed from a list of building projects the Council intends to carry out in 2011/12.

Other major schemes will be funded instead, if the budget proposals drawn up jointly by the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green groups are adopted, as expected, at a meeting of the Council on Thursday.

Councillor Greenwood was due to unveil the authority’s full capital programme for the next financial year at a meeting of the executive today.

Top of the list is the construction of two special schools which were due to be funded through the Government-axed Building Schools for the Future programme.

Coun Greenwood said: “£15m for Odsal isn’t in the capital programme which doesn’t mean to say we won’t look to do something with the club. At this moment in time we don’t believe it is possible for £15m to be spent on a professional sports venue but we will look to support them and engage with the private sector.

“There are massive pressures on us to build two new special needs schools. The choice between these is clear.

“My view has always been the vast majority of the money should be private sector money into a private sports company – it’s a private business at the end of the day.”

  • Read more on this story in Tuesday's T&A