Westfield is to move onto the Broadway site on Monday to finally start preparation works for the construction of the £320 million development, the Telegraph & Argus can exclusively reveal.

And as plans for the site gather momentum, a spokesman for the company also revealed that more retailer and start date announcements will be made within the coming weeks.

The preparation works are essential to facilitate the start of construction on the shopping centre and include preparing the construction compound, installation of essential infrastructure plus site clearance and surveys.

Duncan Bower, Westfield director of development, said: “The site preparation works, along with the upcoming ‘Meet the Buyer’ event and growing retailer commitment are positive steps forward. Westfield will continue its intensive work to secure the final pre-lets to facilitate a start date before the end of year.”

Earlier this month, together with Bradford Council, Westfield announced a ‘Meet the Buyer Event’ on Wednesday, December 11, to promote local business opportunities for construction and services related companies on the development project.

Retailers including Next, WHSmith, Vodafone and Phones 4U are signed up to the delayed scheme, along with anchor tenants Debenhams and Marks & Spencer.

A spokesman for the company said that the Urban Garden, which forms part of the site, will remain where it is for the moment.

He said: “These are the important site works before we officially start construction and this is essential work which needs to happen. Obviously this work is happening between November and early December and we are working hard to facilitate the construction date before the end of the year .

“We will be looking to make retail and construction date announcements by the end of the year, with construction work by the end of the year.”

The leader of Bradford Council, Coun David Green, speaking after the latest announcement, said: “This is positive news and another step in the right direction.

“Since securing revised planning permission for the scheme in 2011 we have continued to work with Westfield and stress the huge importance of the scheme to Bradford. Like all Bradfordians I am now looking forward to the start of construction work which I believe will mark a significant change for the better in the city centre’s fortunes.”

The news comes days after a senior executive at Westfield insisted to Bradford business owners that its long-awaited shopping centre was on the horizon.

Neil McClure was one of the guest speakers at the Bradford Business and Enterprise Forum at Morrisons’ headquarters on Gain Lane this month.

He said: “We have made huge strides from our perspective that may not always be very obvious to people in Bradford. I appreciate the scepticism and the questions on why does it take so long to do these projects. And there is also a sense of intense anticipation.

“But our absolute focus is the delivery of the project because it is so important to Bradford.”

Earlier this month two contractors, Project De-Watering Ltd and Bradford company Raise The Roof, were on site checking the pumps used to drain standing water from the area, and the latter clearing unwanted vegetation.

A report given to Bradford Council’s regeneration and economy overview and scrutiny committee in October showed that more than half of the floor space for the centre was now ‘spoken for’, and Westfield confirmed that more businesses are likely to sign on the dotted line.