Major buildings worth millions of pounds have been put on the market by Bradford Council.

The magnificent Design Exchange and Merchants House in historic Little Germany are among those up for sale.

Carlisle Business Centre, in the heart of Manningham; the Business and Innovation Centre in Angel Way; and Mantra House, South Street, Keighley; are also being sold as going concerns as the Council seeks to save itself a fortune in running costs.

All of them have small business units mainly used by fledging companies.

The Council is selling the buildings complete with tenants and a condition that the schemes should continue.

Now property services officers have advertised the buildings and asked people to submit expressions of interest.

"They will then be invited to make firm offers for the properties being sold on the open market.

The Design Exchange was described as a national showcase when it was opened in 1991 by Ivor Owen, director general of the British Design Council.

It costs £150,000 a year to run and has 26 studios as well as conference and exhibition facilities.

It was converted from three Victorian cottages and, together with the Business and Innovation Centre, received about £2 million in European aid.

Carlisle Mills was bought by the Council in 1987 and repairs and improvements to turn it into a business centre totalled about £2.5 million.

Around 170 people work at the 70 businesses and there is a waiting list for the 22 offices and 40 workshops.

Listed Merchants House has also had a massive renovation and costs £44,100 a year to run. It has 14 tenants in the business units.

Legal restrictions mean the Council has to use the proceeds on job creation schemes because large grants from Europe and the Government have been invested in the properties.

The sale follows recommendation from the Council's internal Best Value team in February, which said the running costs were high and the private sector could probably run them on a better financial footing.

Executive member for the economy, Councillor Simon Cooke, said the funds going into the coffers would go into worthwhile schemes.

He said: "We believe that this is the best option."

But not everyone is totally enamoured with the plan.

Labour group spokesman Councillor Dave Green said: "My only concern is that the Design Exchange and Merchants House are major buildings which will play a very big part in the regeneration of Little Germany and I hope this will be recognised by whoever buys them."