Bradford’s showpiece regeneration project may have failed in its bid for lottery funding – but the scheme is now progressing far more quickly than all three schemes that were selected ahead of it.

The vision of a mirror pool City Park was dealt a near-fatal blow in late 2007 when judges from the Big Lottery Fund rejected a £24.5m bid for funding under the Living Landmarks programme.

But, in a remarkable transformation of fortunes, the main phase of work on the City Park scheme is now well under way, while construction work is yet to start on any of the three schemes that won funding instead of it.

An investigation by the Telegraph & Argus has revealed that the winning projects – in Cornwall, Belfast and Falkirk – remain largely on the drawing board more than two years after they received a multi-million pound boost.

One of those schemes, the Helix project, would provide a new gateway to Falkirk and Grangemouth, in Scotland, by transforming under-used land into “inspirational green space.”

However, work on the scheme, which received £25m in lottery funding, is not due to start until summer 2010 and will not be finished until the second half of 2013 at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the Heartlands scheme in Cornwall is designed to transform a derelict urban area into a cultural landscape that would include a visitor centre, park, children’s centre, conference facilities and work spaces for artists.

The Big Lottery Fund, which provided £22.3m for the scheme, said major works are planned to start in July 2010, with completion expected in the summer of 2011.

Finally, the Connswater Community Greenway is a scheme to create a 9km linear park through East Belfast, Northern Ireland, creating a “vibrant, attractive, safe and accessible parkland for leisure, recreation and community events.”

Work on the £32m project, backed by £23.5m from the Big Lottery Fund, is due to start this summer, with an expected completion date of 2013.

By way of contrast, preparatory works for Bradford’s City Park scheme started in September 2009 and the main phase of works got under way on December 7, 2009.

Andrew Mason, chairman of Bradford Property Forum, said: “The thing that gives me more comfort than anything is that Bradford did not fall over when the lottery funding was refused.

“There was a sharp intake of breath and I remember everyone being really upset because we knew we had a fabulous scheme. It’s testimony to the people involved that we came back from that blow and are now on site. It’s evidence that we put our money where our mouth is.

“I am staggered that the other three projects aren’t on site yet – more than two years after they were given all this money. I would be wanting to ask questions of the lottery funders.

“Bradford deserves a pat on the back for refusing to be beaten.”