A bid by Bradford Urban Regeneration Company to sort out the funding shortfall surrounding the planned £200 million Broadway city centre shopping development was under way today.

Members of URC's shadow board met yesterday for the first time since last week's bombshell decision by regeneration agency Yorkshire Forward not to fill a huge funding gap.

After the meeting, Yorkshire Forward chairman Graham Hall - who is also chairman of the URC shadow board - confirmed that the shortfall involved was about the £15 million mark, not the £24 million he had previously suggested.

He said Yorkshire Forward's decision to pull out of the scheme over concerns about its viability and rising costs remained the same. But he said the URC shadow board members had asked for a full list of options to be drawn up ready for their next meeting on February 6 to make sure the scheme goes ahead.

Emphasising that he was speaking only on behalf of the URC shadow board, Mr Hall said: "The board realises the importance of this scheme both to the Bradford district and the regeneration implications for Bradford city centre and we are looking at all the strategic options.

"A full report will be drawn up for our next meeting on February 6."

Board member Councillor Margaret Eaton who is also the leader of Bradford Council, said: "Something will go ahead on Broadway but we are looking at all the options.

"There was a determination round the table that something positive should emerge."

After last week's decision by Yorkshire Forward, developer Paul Caddick, of Caddick Construction, announced he was signing up with one of Britain's biggest property and investment companies to help build the 500,000sq ft scheme.

High Street names like Debenhams and BHS have already been lined up and it is planned to start work on the development next spring ready for opening in 2005. It is expected to create about 2,000 jobs.