A major developer today announced £1.5 million plans for a shopping centre, pub and restaurant aimed at the city's students.

The new courtyard development will be directly opposite the entrance to Bradford University in Great Horton Road.

It will be the first development aimed specifically at thousands of students living in and commuting to the city centre each week.

Peter McManus, whose company Leeds and London Holdings turned the historic Windsor baths into a successful multi-million pound pub and leisure scheme, said Bradford should follow in the footsteps of thriving Newcastle, targeting young people who spent millions of pounds in the city.

He said student numbers from the university and Bradford and Ilkley College had swelled to about 30,000, yet they had no purpose-built shops.

In contrast, he said, Newcastle - which has more than 40,000 students - was known across the country as the "students city". He said developers homed in on the prime sites where they could provide facilities for young people.

Today's announcement of the planned development on the site of the Taj bakery is a double boost to the city because it is expected to bring at least 70 new jobs.

The five units in the courtyard development will include a large convenience store, video and fast food shops and are expected to create about 25 jobs.

Mr McManus said companies were already in contact with them about moving in.

The bakery, which will sell its premises on the site for conversion to a pub restaurant, is looking for new premises in the city for a £1 million expansion.

Today managing director Tarik Anwar said they hoped to increase the 20-strong workforce to about 60. Jobs will also be created in the new pub-restaurant.

A planning application for the shops and pub has been submitted to Bradford Council.

Sandie Needham, director of Bradford Chamber of Commerce, said: "The student population is important to the local economy. There is a very high number of full and part- time students and their spending is considerable."

The chairman of the Council's regeneration committee, Coun Dave Green, said he welcomed the investment but would have to look closely at the planning application.

Chairman of Bradford Retail Action Group Jeff Frankel said: "It's a good idea - and we welcome it."

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