SIR – I read the front page story in Wednesday’s Telegraph & Argus, with a huge sense of disappointment. It is a tragedy that the Leader of the Council concedes that the proposed new Courts Complex is “dead in the water”.

My comment was that I was unaware of the new proposal, but despite being Conservative spokesman for strategic regeneration, no-one bothered to tell me.

The Magistrates’ Court is aesthetically unpleasant. Unlike Councillor David Green, I struggle to welcome the plans to build a custody complex beneath it and I do not accept retaining the court there will not harm City Park.

I accept City Park has been a resounding success, but if the court site was fronted by trendy cafes and shops with modern offices above and without the court, it could be even better.

When the promised new offices are built, they should be attractive to business – they would be more so without this ugly building and its clientele close-by.

A leisure attraction is much less attractive when the view greeting visiting parents and children is the collection of miscreants and associates that one can unfortunately see from City Hall.

I hope an alternative idea can be found.

Councillor Glen Miller, leader of the Conservative Group, c/o City Hall, Bradford