Developers hope to start work next Easter on one of the city's biggest apartment developments after councillors gave it the go-ahead.

They agreed that 20 per cent of the apartments would be priced between £45,000 and £65,000 in line with Bradford Council's stance that developers should provide affordable units to enable people on lower incomes to live in the heart of the city.

But the developers, Landtask, said the entire development at Beehive Mills in Thornton Road would be reasonably priced with apartments costing up to about £130,000.

The £50 million scheme will mean the opening up of about 100 metres of Bradford Beck to residents and members of the public with a footpath being provided for them to enjoy the amenity. Residents will also be provided with Metro cards to encourage them to use public transport.

The regulatory and appeals committee delegated the grant of outline planning permission for the development to transport, design and planning director Alan Mainwaring, subject to legal conditions including the provision of public space, recreation facilities and public realm work.

Councillor Paul Flowers said the Council wanted a city centre which did not contain "rich ghettos" but developments which could be afforded by a mix of people of different ages and incomes.

Planning officer Stuart Currie said the scheme included a private courtyard to two blocks and a landscaped deck above the car park providing an area of public space.

After the hour-long meeting Terry Smith representing the developers, Landtask, said he was delighted with the decision and hoped to start work next April, completing the work as a single phase over two years.

He added it would be one of the biggest single phase developments in West Yorkshire. "It will be a truly deliverable and affordable scheme."

The committee was also told the developer planning to transform the towering High Point office development in the heart of the city had agreed to contribute £135,000 towards affordable housing.

Private talks were held between the officers and developer Manoj Aggarwal after the regulatory and appeals committee said it wanted a substantial contribution for cheaper housing in the city. But the developer said the sum being considered by the Council put the scheme, which would transform the city's ugliest building into a £12 million prestigious apartments complex, in jeopardy.

Members were told that Mr Aggarwal had pointed out that there were already exceptional costs to the development including the removal of asbestos and re-siting of telecommunications equipment on the roof of High Point.