Developers of the Broadway shopping scheme have crossed their final hurdle as planners prepare to give their blessing to changes in the vast complex.

A planning application for amendments - including putting all 1,800 cars in a multi-storey above the shopping centre - was considered by Bradford Council's regulatory and appeals committee in November.

Members referred it to the office of the deputy prime minister John Prescott for a decision, hoping for an early announcement.

Now Mr Prescott has decided it can be dealt with locally and returned it to Bradford Council for rubber stamping.

As a result the Council is ready to give the developers, Westfield, permission to build the centre.

The company has already taken over the vast site and its demolition contractors DSM are forging ahead with areas, including once-busy Petergate, crumbling to dust.

The 588,000 square foot scheme will include a department store, more than 90 shops of various sizes, cafes, restaurant and offices. There will also be more than 180 apartments, many with bird's eye views of historic Little Germany.

The amendments include widening the streets and altering the design of the state-of-the-art department store which will be built on the former Petergate shop and office block.

Britain's biggest high street store Debenham's is expected to be an anchor tenant and Bhs is expected to return to a major new shop.

The developers will also use more stone in the development to complement the heritage buildings including the Grade One listed Wool Exchange which will be its neighbours.

Construction is expected to start this year on the scheme which is could lead to up to 3,000 jobs.

And Bradford Council is pulling together a bank of people ready to produce a tailor-made workforce.

The Council's executive member for regeneration Councillor Simon Cooke said: "This is fantastic news. We can really see the way ahead now to watching the Broadway development come into being."