World club rugby league champions Bradford Bulls were today forging ahead with their own £13 million redevelopment of Odsal Stadium.

Contractors have started work on the first phase of the project - a two-storey hospitality building at one end of the ground.

It will have a 400-seater restaurant, players' lounge, 19 hospitality boxes and an IT classroom for the club's community programme working with youngsters.

The structure - unveiled today - will be built on five-metre-high supports giving unrivalled views of the pitch.

Club chairman Chris Caisley said the building was expected to be used for the first time at the Super League game against Leeds in May.

Other major work now starting will include three new concourse bars, new seating in the main stand and improved facilities for the disabled.

The Touchdown restaurant is having a full-scale overhaul and the Trevor Foster Lounge will be revamped to house the club's administration, commercial sales, marketing and community and ticketing department.

Terracing is being upgraded, with new floodlights and new women's toilets, all of which are expected to be completed by February in time for any TXU Energi Challenge Cup home game in February.

The Bulls are going it alone after five years of failure by private developers to bring ambitious schemes for Odsal to fruition. The Council recently ended a long-running tenant's agreement and awarded the club a one-off £4.6 million payment in compensation.

Mr Caisley said the club was funding the whole of the first phase. But it would seek a private partner and lottery award to help fund the second phase which would provide new facilities on the existing terracing opposite the main stand.

Abi Ekoku has moved from his role as chief executive to drive forward the long-awaited improvements.

Mr Caisley said: "All of this heralds the start of a new exciting era for the club. However, it is only the start and we must move to deliver phase two as quickly as possible. I would hope to see it all completed within the next two years."

The club has awarded the building contract to Richmond-based York House Construction which was founded two years ago by Andy Bruce, former managing director of PS Turner in Keighley.

The club's corporate partner, the Hurst group, has been awarded the contract for the interior of the new building.

The Bulls have just signed a five year contract believed to be worth about £1 million with sportswear manufacturers Logitog.

The deal will see the company supplying playing kits as well as leisure wear as well as taking control of the Bulls' retail operation.

The club and its fans have waited for a decade for the redevelopment of the sub-standard stadium.

Original plans by businessman John Garside to turn Odsal into a £200 million Superdome with a retractable dome bit the dust four years ago.

Millionaire Eddie Healey, developer of the Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield, stepped in with counter proposals but was unable to come up with a scheme which would be commercially viable.

And plans by Leeds-based Sterling Capitol for a 26,000-seat ground - with a Tesco superstore built into the development - collapsed earlier this year when the Government demanded a public inquiry over the planning application.

Intensive talks then took place between the Council and Bulls which resulted in the end of a contract agreed in 1986 which would have meant the Council paying £337,000 to the club over the next 17 years.

The Council paid £4.6 million compensation to the Bulls and said while the authority was released from a long-term burden, the payment to the Bulls over the next two years would enable them to take control of their own destiny.

Council leader Councillor Margaret Eaton said: "This shows the worth of partnerships working together to find a solution. The start of the redevelopment is great news for the Bulls."

Sam Grundy, press officer for the Bulls Independent Supporters Association, said: "It's great to see it all starting to come into shape instead of plans on a piece of paper. I hope this time it all happens."