Regeneration chiefs say Bradford would offer “great value for money” for a Government planning to relocate thousands of civil servants from London to the regions.

Bradford Council believes the low cost of office space in Bradford could stand the city in good stead with plans to make huge efficiency savings by speeding up the relocation of civil servants.

Following last week’s Budget, it emerged that the number of civil servants in London would be reduced by one-third over the long term, with 15,000 posts relocated within the next five years.

Today, Barra Mac Ruairi, Bradford Council’s strategic director for regeneration, said: “We are in regular contact with the Office for Government Commerce regarding relocation to the Bradford district.

“It remains a priority in terms of boosting the local economy and we continue to present the district as a good location.

“We can also deliver much better value for money here for offices, as our rental cost per square foot is cheaper.”

Last month, development agency Yorkshire Forward set out the business case for Yorkshire and the Humber as a location for civil service activities and jobs.

It said the region’s five key cities, Bradford, Leeds, Hull, Sheffield and York, had all been recognised as some of the best locations for business nationally, with Leeds in the top four and Sheffield in the top ten.

The prospectus said: “This provides an ideal opportunity to deliver a more efficient Government, as these large administration centres will enable public sector organisations to maximise efficiencies in terms of estates management and workforce issues.”

The document went on to mention the region’s good transport links, with Leeds Bradford, Robin Hood and Humberside airports providing fast and efficient connections to 90 destinations in 30 countries.

It said commuters could now look forward to extra train services between Bradford and London, while Leeds to London by train was now just over two hours, with over 30 trains a day.

The prospectus described Bradford as a multi-cultural city with exciting architecture and a rich industrial heritage.

“It is one of the UK’s most up and coming cultural destinations,” it added.