Council chiefs are seeking legal agreements with developers to give employment to local people as the district prepares for a bonanza, with at least 5,000 jobs in the pipeline.

The developers are also being urged to create another spin-off by buying supplies from companies across the district.

The Council estimates developments worth a total of £1 billion will take place in the next few years and is determined the majority of the jobs will benefit local people.

The developments are expected to bring:

l 3,000 jobs in the Broadway shopping development - with half during construction period and the rest in the centre itself with people working in shops, offices, car parks and management of the complex. Regen 2000, which is dealing with a multi-million pound award from the Government's Single Regeneration Budget, has given £1.5million towards the work on the infrastructure. The funding has been given on condition at least 60 construction jobs and the same number of retail jobs go to people in the deprived Barkerend/Leeds Road area of the city.

l More than 1,500 jobs on the £18 million redevelopment of the South wing of Manningham Mills.

l Thousands of jobs with construction companies as Bradford Community Housing Trust regenerates 250 homes across the district in a £200 million programme.

Jez Lester, director of investment and regeneration for the BCHT group, said today their bonanza had already started with 110 new jobs created since they took over the properties from Bradford Council in February.

He added: "We have an initial list of more than 500 local businesses which have expressed an interest. We will be refining this list in the near future when we build the supply chain and will ascertain what opportunities are available to them. This will support the local economy in the private sector."

Council director of regeneration Patrick Wiggins said the Council lawyers were working to ensure all contracts awarded by the authority required the use of local labour and training provision.

He added that a partnership was also being set up including the Council and Jobcentre to match the needs of employers to skills and ensure training was finished for the time workers would be required.

Demolition of existing properties to clear the bottom of the city in preparation for the Broadway scheme is programmed for next year but recruitment has not yet begun.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland - Regen 2000 board member and chairman of its economy, regeneration and jobs theme group - said they were about to open their own employment agency on Leeds Road to build a team to match jobs and training.