Restaurants, bistro-style bars and a giant hi-tech TV screen could rise out of the rubble of Bradford's Provincial House when it is finally razed to the ground this year.

The £6 million stone complex would create continental-style pavement cafes and bars and an eight metre-square screen for viewing arts events.

And with the demise of the towering 1960s Provincial House building - with careful demolition possible almost immediately - Centenary Square would be extended right up to the planned two-storey complex.

A pedestrian route would link Millergate with Centenary Square and City Hall.

The crescent-shaped building would boast five large units providing 2,700 square metres of ground level floor space. High roof space would allow occupants to build mezzanine floors and balconies at first floor level.

But an early idea to build a hotel in keeping with the surrounding area has been rejected by developers because they believe there are enough rooms in the city already.

A planning application for the demolition of Provincial House and construction of the complex has been submitted to Bradford Council by St James Securities, on behalf of Asda St James Joint Venture Company - developers of the Forster Square Retail Park.

But today a leading councillor said the retail-warehouse type buildings should never be allowed opposite Grade One-listed City Hall.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group Councillor Jeanette Sunderland said: "The buildings in Forster Square are boring and ugly and this type must be avoided in this very sensitive area. We would never want it to happen."

The company aims to buy Provincial House from owners Abbey National Plc once planning permission has been obtained. It would not reveal the purchase price of the office block but a spokesman said the new development should be finished by Easter next year.

London-based architects Panter Hudspith have been appointed to design the scheme. The company was responsible for the Pitcher&Piano development on Newcastle's Quayside and York's Davygate shopping project.

Today the plan was welcomed by retailers and business leaders, who said it would enhance the finest site in the city centre.

Bradford South MP Gerry Sutcliffe also called for the demolition of the nearby police headquarters, to open up the whole West End of the city.

He said: "It is excellent news about the plan for Provincial House but I would like to see the police station demolished and hope the police authority will be able to do something in this direction."

Councillors are expected to consider the planning application for the scheme - within a conservation area - in the next few weeks.

St James Securities Director, Ian Barraclough, said if the application was approved he hoped demolition of the 20,000 square-metre Provincial House would start almost immediately.

Mr Barraclough said: "It could take about four months to demolish. It would have to be a very careful operation with us conscious of disturbance, noise and the use of the area by pedestrians.

"Most of the building is in concrete panels, which can be taken off and removed from the site."

He said major national companies were already interested in occupying the two end units of the new project.

"We have always been attracted by this opportunity. The Council is keen to bring life to the city centre and have people living in it. I think we are going to be very compatible with other leisure developments.

"This will be a quality scheme which is achievable in a fairly short time scale."

He added inquiries had been received from a book and record shop but there would be no major retail element in the development.

Today Council leader Councillor Ian Greenwood said: "This is very good news and it would mean Centenary Square will be complete in terms of its original conception."

Eric Hudson, President of Bradford Chamber of Trade, said: "It seems a good and innovative scheme which can only enhance the city centre."

The developers plan to hold a public exhibition with a model of the proposed complex early next month.

Provincial House has been empty since last year when Abbey National staff were transferred to a new multi million pound headquarters at nearby Bradford Interchange.

The scheme has been announced as a separate business consortium proposes the demolition of many other 1960s buildings at the bottom end of the city, and proposes the development of vast covered shopping malls to replace them.

A third company JJ Gallagher - developers of the Phoenix Park leisure scheme at Thornbury - also plan a multi million pound leisure scheme on the site of Vicar Lane car park.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said a complete review of Bradford police was taking place. "Any future decisions on building strategy will be taken alongside that."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.