The company behind Bradford's long-awaited Broadway shopping centre has for the first time released details of on-site preparatory work which it says will begin before Christmas.

Westfield has instructed its contractors to start site preparation works on the £340 million centre and says that initial activity on the site will be seen in the run-up to Christmas.

This work is set to continue into the New Year, with increased truck movements on and off the site as any surplus material is removed from the area.

Westfield also confirmed that the site huts which were recently delivered to the site will be made fully operational and that arrangements have been made to bring in temporary electrical supplies to the site - something it describes as a "key action in preparing the site for the start of construction".

Westfield's development executive, Neil Maclure, said: "These preparatory works are an important part of Westfield's further investment in this major project and demonstrate our continued confidence in the future prospects of the city centre. Before Christmas, there will be some initial site remediation works.

"In the New Year, further work will be undertaken to ensure that everything is in place prior to construction work starting."

Councillor Andrew Mallinson, the Council's executive member for regeneration, hailed the news saying: "Work to get the Broadway site ready for construction is really starting to take shape now and this reiterates Westfield's commitment to delivering the project which will provide Bradford's residents with a high-class development to enjoy for many, many years."

The news comes as a Yorkshire-based structural steel company announced that it anticipated beginning work on the Westfield site "over the coming months".

Severfield-Rowen, based in Thirsk, listed the Broadway development as one of two large projects it had added to its order book, the other being another Westfield shopping centre in Stratford, East London.

A statement from the company said: "The group anticipates that, over the coming months, the order book will be increased further through the addition of a number of large projects including projects at Stratford, East London, and Bradford for Westfield Shopping towns Limited."

Last month, Westfield agreed terms with a national hotel chain for a 220-bedroom hotel at the complex.

A planning application has been submitted to Bradford Council for permission to include the hotel by reconfiguring part of the layout of the proposed centre.

When it acquired the site in March 2004, Westfield said it was determined the showpiece centre would still open by the Christmas 2007 deadline outlined by previous owner Stannifer.

However Westfield said it wished to secure a number of retail pre-lets and achieve approval from its company board before work could begin on construction.

So far major retailers Marks & Spencer, BHS and Debenhams have signed up to the development.