Bradford Council’s executive is being recommended by officers to accept a deal which would see it buy the former Odeon and Tyrls police station buildings for £1 each from the Homes and Communities Agency.

Bradford Council had asked the HCA to sell them for the peppercorn price, and also provide £4.1 million for essential work to prepare them for development.

But although the HCA agreed to pay the full £1.32 million towards work on the Odeon, it only offered £2.2 million towards work on the former Tyrls building, almost £600,000 less than the Council wanted.

Now senior councillors are being urged to accept the offer, as £4.4 million in development cash is available from a separate source, the Regional Growth Fund programme, which will allow work to progress.

A report to the Executive, by Barra Mac Ruairi, strategic director for regeneration, warned that declining the HCA’s offer could result in the buildings remaining in their current state, which would “present a major reputational risk to the Council”.

The Council hopes if it buys the Odeon, a number of developers will come forward with “commercially viable” plans to give the building a new lease of life, while retaining all or part of its distinctive architecture. It could invite expressions of interest from mid-June.

The Council’s plan for the former Tyrls police station building is to see it redeveloped into grade A office space.

The Executive is due to make a decision at its meeting next Tuesday.