A £19 MILLION enterprise zone on an empty Bradford site is one of a number of schemes discussed by West Yorkshire Combined Authority last week.

The authority, made up of representatives from five local Councils, agreed to over £35m investment in a number of local schemes at Thursday’s meeting, including £540,000 funding to draw up a full business case for the employment site, which could bring 490 jobs to the area.

In total the enterprise zone, in the Bowling Back Lane area of Bradford, will cost £18.88 million, with £8 million of this coming from the Combined Authority and the rest coming from the private sector.

The Authority funding will also help prepare the site for future businesses, including improving access and the creation of a new signalised junction.

£10M BOOST: Work to begin on new Gain Lane ‘enterprise zone’ expected to bring 550 jobs to Bradford

With the business case funding now approved, a planning application for the site could be submitted as early as March.

The aim is for the site to be fully up and running by 2025. Around seven industrial buildings could be built on the land.

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Leader of Bradford Council said: “I am pleased we were able to support progress and investment in local schemes worth almost £214 million, which will support economic growth that everyone can benefit from.

“We also renewed our commitment to the development of local and regional transport services that will meet local people’s needs and expectations, support growth and contribute to our commitment to tackling climate change.”

Other schemes approved by the Authority included access improvements in York City centre, flood alleviation measures in Hebden Bridge, work to improve bus journeys in Leeds city centre’s Corn Exchange area and the development of the region’s Superfast Broadband network.