Sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe announced the official opening of Bradford College’s £18m Trinity Green campus on Saturday with the news that it has already attracted interest as a training venue ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games.

The state-of-the-art city centre complex has had inquiries from Olympic athletes in Pakistan seeking a camp to train in.

The site houses the college’s sport, engineering and construction curriculum areas and is included in the London Organising Committee Pre-Games Training Camp Guide for the Olympics.

It forms Phase One of the college’s wider accommodation strategy, which will see an extra £120 million investment into its entire campus for pupils and the public.

Bradford South MP Mr Sutcliffe said: “As somebody who knew this building when I was at Bradford College 30 or more years ago, it is fantastic to see an incredible building. But it’s not just the building, it’s the quality of the facilities and the learning.

“The sports hall in particular is state-of-the-art and we have already seen during the open day all the different uses it has.

“We are trying to create regional centres of excellence in sports and I would like to see Bradford as a key place.”

Facilities include a 1,000 square metres sports hall, sports and fitness laboratories, a fitness testing suite, two basketball courts, an aerobics and dance studio with fully-sprung wooden floor and full size football pitch available to the community.

The college, which will also provide a site for Bradford Bulls to train for next season, could also play a part in the general redevelopment of Bradford.

Michele Sutton, the college’s principal and chief executive, said: “I see it as part of Bradford’s regeneration.

“The sports facilities here are part of the sports strategy for Bradford, we are working very closely with our colleagues in Bradford Council to ensure we are encouraging more people to get involved in healthier living and sports.

“In terms of the construction and engineering, we have been working very closely with local employers to ensure we have the right facilities and learning to aid them by providing a skilled work force.”

Maud Marshall, chief executive of Bradford Centre Regeneration, said: “The official opening of the Trinity Green campus is a significant milestone in the college’s extensive £120 million accommodation stratergy.

“The college plays an integral role in the innovative £750 million Learning Quarter and Bradford’s £3 billion regeneration.”

The second phase is now under way with an application in principle to the Learning and Skills Council for funding recently being submitted.

Phase Two involves the creation of a £120 million city centre campus to be built on the site ofhe college’s Westbrook and Randall Well Buildings and where the Alexandra car park is located.

Mrs Sutton said she hoped it would be complete by 2012.

e-mail: james.rush @telegraphandargs.co.uk