AN ambitious underground development of shops, cafes and bars, due to open this summer, will now be even bigger than originally planned.

Yesterday, 25 representatives from the Association of Town and City Management visited the Sunbridgewells development on Millergate and the Westfield Broadway development, both of which are opening later this year.

During the tour of Sunbridgewells, they got to see how the works to convert the Victorian tunnels beneath Sunbridge Road are progressing.

Announced last year, the privately funded development is now being marketed to businesses, and developer Graham Hall has expanded his initial vision to include neighbouring buildings, some of which are "land locked" and inaccessible from the street. Workers are busy converting the buildings, some of which have not been used for almost 90 years, in time for its projected early summer opening.

The centre was originally due to open in spring, but the expansion has pushed that date back slightly.

Because of the new acquisitions, the development will be almost a third bigger than originally planned.

During their tour of the site, the city centre managers were shown features of the site's varied past, such as Victorian archways, bars from old police cells and a newly exposed quarry face. Most are being maintained as part of the development.

The finished centre will have 14 small retail units and four restaurants/bars. Some of these will front onto Sunbridge Road, with one bar above the former Tangles hair salon unit.

The shops are intended to be starter units for new businesses, and the development will also include an art gallery and regular arts and craft markets.

In its past life the tunnel has been a nightclub and bottling plant, and some of the newly acquired buildings were Victorian homes.

Mr Hall said: "We've just released the promotional materials this week, so we're hoping businesses will start getting in touch. We've had a lot of interest on the website. The shop units will be ideal for people who have a great idea and may just want a temporary lease. This is a completely unique development."

Although the majority of the development will be underground, there will be entrances from Centenary Square, Upper Millergate and Ivegate. The units will be laid out over the main floor, a mezzanine and two upper levels.

Bernadette Rushton, a manager from Rotherham and the chair of the Association, said: "We've been absolutely blown away. We've been waiting for the Westfield scheme for a long time, and to see that and then the Sunbridge Wells scheme, which is very unique, shows that Bradford is offering a lot. This is something completely different."

Jonny Noble, city centre operations manager for Bradford, said: "We had the group come here because of the position we are in with all the different developments going on."

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