There may be a few eyebrows raised at the news that the Citygate development is back on track.
The landmark scheme to build Bradford’s tallest building at the bottom of Manchester Road was one of the most high-profile casualties of the recession when it was mothballed in 2008.
And with talk of austerity and cuts in the air, readers could be forgiven if they thought the age of such ambitious building projects with a strong residential element was over for the foreseeable future.
But the Skelwith Group, which has taken over the former Asquith Properties’ project, has both a track record of delivering, including here in Bradford, and a vision of what it thinks will succeed in today’s market.
Of course, some people will be sceptical until the builders are actually on site, and that is understandable – after all, we have been here before.
But they must surely also acknowledge that today’s news can only be good for the city and a welcome show of faith in its future.
It also supports the view that regeneration is not something that happens overnight, and plans can take time to come to fruition for a variety of reasons, not least huge economic change.
That is not an excuse for unnecessary delay, and nor should it be used as one, but it suggests that now, with the world in the grip of recession, may not be the best time to judge whether the regeneration of Bradford is destined for success.
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