NEW plans announced by the BBC will include a new permanent peak-time radio service for Bradford.

BBC Radio Bradford began in December, but at the time the broadcaster described the station as “temporary output.”

Today the BBC announced a huge shake up that will see departments re-located across the UK.

The broadcaster’s Learning and Identity News team will move to Leeds as part of the shake up, and a new version of BBC One tailored for audiences in Yorkshire, the North West and the North East of England.

It was also revealed that it will invest in six new peak-time BBC local radio services, including a permanent Bradford service and one for Sunderland.

Announcing the plans, BBC Director-General Tim Davie told BBC staff that “people must feel we are closer to them”.

In a release, he said: “Our mission must be to deliver for the whole of the UK and ensure every household gets value from the BBC. These plans will get us closer to audiences, create jobs and investment, and develop and nurture new talent.”

Hundreds of jobs are expected to be re-located.

Production will shift away from London over the next six years in what it bills as its “biggest transformation in decades”.

News and current affairs programmes like Newsnight will be presented from different UK bases and Radio 4’s Today show will be co-hosted from outside London for at least 100 episodes a year.

Viewers will see a “noticeable shift in portrayal of different parts of the UK in drama, comedy and factual” shows, the broadcaster pledged.

The BBC, which was accused of failing to understand the vote for Brexit, hopes the move changes the tone of its programmes and journalism.

The decision could also result in a BBC rival to ITV soap Coronation Street.

The broadcaster said it would air two new long-running drama series – one from the North of England and the other from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Viewers would see around 30 or more episodes a year of the soap or drama, with the exact format to be decided.

More than 100 new and returning drama and comedy titles will reflect the lives and communities of audiences outside London over the next three years, the BBC said.

BBC Radio 3 and 6 Music would be “rooted in Salford” while, also in radio, Newsbeat and Asian Network would be based in Birmingham.

Key daytime programmes on Radio 1, 1Xtra and Radio 2 would be made across the UK and 50% of network radio and music spend would be outside London by 2027/28.