THE creation of a new business district at the heart of the city is a step closer, thanks to £5.2 million in Government cash.

The planned One City Park office development, on the site of a disused police station, is expected to create more than 450 jobs, mostly within the professional services sector.

Bradford Council will use the Government money to flatten the remaining half of the old Tyrls police station, in City Park, and prepare the site for development into grade A office space.

But the money will not pay for the new-build. Instead, the Council will rely on private investors to come in and construct the office blocks, which already have outline planning permission.

Councillor David Green, the leader of Bradford Council, said: "The redevelopment of the former Tyrls police station will make a real difference to the city centre and provide a significant jobs boost both in terms of construction work and permanent jobs once the redevelopment is completed.

"It is a great location adjacent to our multi-award winning City Park and marks another major milestone in the regeneration of Bradford which is continuing apace with the Westfield development progressing well at the Broadway end of the city centre too."

The investment is part of a £572 million "growth deal" struck between the Government and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority last summer for the Leeds city region, which includes the Bradford district.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority 's investment committee has signed off on the plan to spend £5.2 million on getting the Tyrls site ready for redevelopment.

Cllr Green, who chairs the committee, said this "secures the next step in the project", meaning they could soon proceed with the demolition and could also start marketing the site to potential developers.

The Tyrls police station was built in the 1970s but has stood empty since 2007. Half of it was demolished in 2010 to make way for the City Park development.

The basement of the building is still used as cells for Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court next door, but the construction of replacement cells is now well under way behind the court.

The Authority has approved a total of £14 m in regeneration and housing projects across the Leeds city region.

This also included a £850,000 project to build a new canal bridge in Skipton, which will open up a large site in the Horse Close area for around 300 new homes as well as business developments.