Plans to create a stunning park at the heart of Bradford have come a step closer with the visit of lottery assessors.

The two-day visit by the Big Lottery Fund coincides with the submission of the scheme to Bradford Council for planning permission.

The lottery officials arrived in Bradford following a bid by the Council and Bradford Centre Regeneration in May for £24.5 million of funding to create the ten-acre City Park.

As part of the visit, the assessors met the key figures behind the plans - including, the Council, BCR and park designers Gillespies - and were taken through the details of the scheme.

They were given the chance to find out more about public support for the project - which saw more than 3,000 residents feedback ideas to help shape the park's final design and overall 31,000 people back the bid.

Councillor Andrew Mallinson, head of the district's regeneration, said: "The visit by the Lottery commission and the submission of the scheme for planning permission symbolises two great stepping stones for the city.

"I believe the scheme will ensure Bradford really stands out from other cities and we are committed to giving residents a city centre they can really be proud of.

"The commitment shared among the people of Bradford will strengthen the bid for lottery funding, and hopefully result in a positive outcome when a decision is made in October."

The design for the park features a flexible mirror pool as its centrepiece, infrastructure to hold major public events beside the listed City Hall, along with children's play areas, quiet reflection areas, and bars, cafes and restaurants.

A decision is expected from the lottery's Living Landmarks grants programme in October, with Bradford is competing with 22 other schemes across the country, and the results of the planning permission by September.

The City Park is expected to attract 675,000 new day-visitors a year to the city centre, according to a new eight-page summary of the project.

The document lists the predicted outcomes of the ambitious scheme, including 270 new jobs by 2012, 1,500 additional jobs in the knowledge-based industries by 2015 and a 40 per cent uplift in average grade A commercial office rental levels.

The Big Lottery-funded phase of the scheme, including the mirror pool plaza and all proposals for Centenary Square and Norfolk Gardens, will cost £29.8m. The document says it is expected to start in November 2007 and be complete in a four-year period.

The park would deliver a 4,000 square metre water feature, 900 metres of seating, 100 new trees, 135 additional city centre event days a year and 28,000 square metres of commercial and retail floorspace.

  • Start or join a debate on this issue in our online forum - Click here