WORK has now started on one of the biggest regeneration schemes in Bradford city centre.

One City Park is a Grade A office development that has been in the planning stages for years.

Planned for the former Tyrls police station site next to City Park, the development has been promoted by Bradford Council as a key step in the regeneration of Bradford city centre.

But the plans, which the most recent estimates cost at £35m, have also come under criticism, with many claiming it will be a "white elephant" at a time when many businesses are downsizing their office space.

Being funded through a mix of Government grants and Council loans, the scheme will create a 56,403sq, five storey Grade A office building where around 450 jobs would be based.

Bradford Council has argued that while the city has plenty of office space, much of this is in older, converted buildings rather than the purpose built space One City Park would provide.

Muse Development has partnered with Bradford Council to carry out the work, and earlier this month it was announced that Caddick Construction for the construction stage.

PICTURES: Work starts to demolish remainder of Tyrls police station in Bradford city centre

That stage of the project has now begun, with an area of City Park and the site next to Bradford and Keighley Magistrates Court, which has been used as a temporary park since the demolition of the Tyrls, closed off with hoarding this week.

Work is expected to be completed by Summer 2023.

It is expected that the construction period will create around 300 temporary construction jobs.

The development is just yards from another major regeneration scheme - work to turn the former Odeon building into music venue Bradford Live.

At a meeting of Bradford Council earlier this year, Bradford's Executive was asked why it was pushing ahead with the scheme when many companies were moving away from traditional office working to more flexible working.

Councillor Alex Ross Shaw, portfolio holder for planning, regeneration and environment, replied: “The intention was never to create a traditional, full plan office space. It was more about flexible workspace which is still needed.

“Other cities that might be more advanced than ours when it comes to high quality office space might be more exposed by businesses downsizing.

“There will be businesses that have an office estate of hundreds of thousands of square foot that may no longer want to have all this space, but may still need flexible space.

“It isn’t about a business just lifting and shifting its staff. Businesses might be thinking about reducing their floor space, but have space with a higher quality feel and in a great location. It doesn’t get any better than on the doorstep of City park, the Alhambra and Bradford Live.”