Bradford Council could use compulsory purchase powers to empty the Kirkgate Shopping Centre and Oastler Market buildings in advance of their demolition.
But Council bosses hope that negotiations with existing tenants mean that such powers are not necessary.
The two shopping centres are due to be demolished in the coming years following the opening of Darley Street Market, and the sites will be used for the ambitious Bradford City Village project.
The redevelopment scheme will see more than 900 homes built on the two sites and two Council-owned car parks in the Chain Street area.
Bradford Council owns both the Kirkgate and Oastler buildings – having purchased Kirkgate to allow the City Village development to go ahead.
The Council has previously said market traders that don’t move into Darley Street Market would be offered support to re-locate elsewhere in the city. The same would be true of other businesses in the two centres.
But a report to Council bosses suggested they approve “compulsory purchase” powers in case negotiations with existing tenants collapse.
The Council’s Executive approved the powers at a meeting earlier this month.
Explaining the City Village scheme, the report to members said: “The plan focuses on place-making, re-shaping and re-balancing this part of the City Centre by creating the right conditions to unlock private sector investments, driving housing led regeneration and supporting economic growth through completing transformative infrastructure works.
“It proposes a development consisting of a mix of apartments and town houses with supporting commercial facilities. The scheme is expected to be completed over a 10-year period.
“With the opening of the new Darley Street Market in summer 2025, some of the Oastler Market occupiers, will be relocating to Darley Street Market or moving to alternative premises or ceasing to trade altogether.
“As a result, key negotiations to secure vacant possession of Oastler Market holders are continuing.
“The ongoing vacant possession work will therefore be focusing primarily on the Kirkgate Shopping Centre to also include market traders and which comprises a combined landlord and tenant approach to secure surrenders in tandem with the progression of a CPO to enable vacant possession of the Kirkgate Shopping Centre.
“This is expected to be fully achieved by early/mid 2026, in time for the Kirkgate Shopping Centre to be handed over for demolition in line with the project critical path programme.
“Specialist asset management agents have been appointed to deliver the vacant possession strategy, which will be supported by the use of CPO and appropriation powers should these be necessary to obtain vacant possession of all the land and rights needed.
“Discussions with affected persons are ongoing and a number of settlement agreements are progressing including relocation packages, where appropriate.
“In respect of the market traders in the Oastler and Kirkgate Markets, discussions are being led by the Council with a number of traders being offered pitches within the new Darley Street Market and others agreeing to surrender their existing lease arrangements.
“Given the significant number of third-party leases, occupations and interests (including as of yet unidentified parties) it appears likely that a CPO will be needed, to ensure the scheme can proceed in a timely manner.
“If the Council continues to rely on current negotiations and only seeks to authorise a CPO if negotiations break down, valuable time and the availability of present sources of public funding will be at risk of being lost.
“In seeking to promote a CPO it is a fundamental requirement for a CPO to run in parallel with a negotiations as soon as it is apparent that there is little or no prospect of all the land and rights needed for a scheme to be acquired through voluntary negotiations, otherwise the Council runs the risk of being accused that it is not serious in its intentions to promote the scheme.”
The report also gives more detail on the type of commercial units that will be created alongside the housing and green spaces.
It says: “The Scheme Masterplan proposals also include the provision of active ground floor uses in housing apartment blocks to improve street safety but also to provide accommodation which is suitable not only for commercial uses but also for other amenity uses such as GP’s surgeries, dental practices, nurseries and leisure activities etc.”
At the meeting Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: “It is likely these powers won’t be needed, but we do need to approve them just in case.”
