Very little seems to run smoothly in the continuing saga of Odsal stadium. Ever since the grandiose initial scheme for a Superdome was unveiled almost a decade ago and subsequently failed to materialise, there has been one false dawn after another.

Now the more realistic scheme proposed by developers Sterling Capitol, with Tesco as a committed commercial partner, which it had been hoped would be under way by the autumn, looks likely to be delayed at least until the start of next year by the decision not to hold the public inquiry until September.

It is scheduled to last for three weeks and possibly four, and then it could take several more months for the outcome to be decided. If the decision is favourable - which is greatly to be hoped, given the importance of this scheme to Bradford - and work then begins, Odsal Stadium will be a building site throughout next season.

And that will no doubt create some little local difficulties for the Bulls, whose chairman has said that the team will move back to Odsal next season come what may.

However, that is likely to be a minor headache compared to the major hurdle of getting the scheme through the public inquiry and allowing work to begin at last on this project which is so important to the regeneration of the area and to Bradford's future prospects.

Let us hope that this inquiry is the last delay, that a positive decision comes quickly, and that work then proceeds smoothly to give the city an Odsal Stadium it can be proud of.