SHAPING OUR OWN FUTURE
With one of Europe’s youngest and most diverse populations, Bradford offers significant opportunities for businesses and investors.
Bradford is positioning itself as a leading UK city, driven by innovation, culture, and inclusive growth. Building on the success of City of Culture 2025, the district is embracing change with regeneration, new infrastructure, and a strong commitment to clean growth and technology.
The Plan for Bradford’s Future
Download the plan to see how Bradford is delivering growth, attracting investment and reshaping the district to 2035.
Driving forward as a core city
Core Cities are the UK’s major urban centres, places that drive regional economies, shape national growth, and anchor investment, jobs, and innovation.
If Bradford matched Core City averages across key metrics, productivity would rise to £37.80 per hour, the business base would grow to nearly 20,000, and the working‑age population would increase.
Becoming a Core City is a realistic next step and a powerful way to draw in more investment, back innovation, and grow higher-value jobs – playing a bigger role in the UK economy. Growth built on skills, innovation, and quality of life. Growth that sticks and spreads.
Our 4 main drivers
Culture
The impact of City of Culture 2025 will live on through stronger places, deeper pride, and a District confident enough to invest in itself and invite the world in.
Skills
Backing our people with the skills that shape tomorrow’s economy will unlock ambition, raise incomes, and give the next generation a reason to build their lives here.
Transport
A new city‑centre station and a modern tram system will pull the city closer to jobs, opportunity, and growth and put Bradford back where it belongs on the regional map.
Regen Pipeline
From City Village to the Southern Gateway, new homes, workplaces, and public spaces are turning ambition into reality and reshaping the District for the long term.
Culture
The impact of City of Culture 2025 will live on through stronger places, deeper pride, and a District confident enough to invest in itself and invite the world in.
Skills
Backing our people with the skills that shape tomorrow’s economy will unlock ambition, raise incomes, and give the next generation a reason to build their lives here.
Transport
A new city‑centre station and a modern tram system will pull the city closer to jobs, opportunity, and growth and put Bradford back where it belongs on the regional map.
Regen Pipeline
From City Village to the Southern Gateway, new homes, workplaces, and public spaces are turning ambition into reality and reshaping the District for the long term.
THE 7 BIG GAME CHANGERS
SOUTHERN GATEWAY
The Southern Gateway is Bradford at scale. At 126 hectares, three times the size of Canary Wharf, it’s the city’s largest regeneration site, delivering 5,000 new homes in a green, sustainable district that respects heritage and resets expectations for city living.
BRADFORD RAIL PROGRAMME
A new £2 billion city‑centre station is the single biggest move Bradford can make. Sitting at the heart of the Southern Gateway, it locks Bradford into the northern rail network, better connecting us with Leeds, Manchester and beyond.
MASS TRANSIT
A £2 billion tram system will redraw the map between Bradford and Leeds. Faster, more reliable journeys will open access to work, transform public space, and stitch communities together along the route, driving growth end to end.
CITY VILLAGE
City Village brings the city centre back to life. In partnership with English Cities Fund, up to 1,000 new homes across 25 hectares will turn two former markets into a lived‑in, cultural, 24/7 neighbourhood.
TOWNS TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME
Across Keighley, Shipley, Ilkley and Bingley, town centres are being reset. Heritage‑led renewal, new homes, greener transport and digital upgrades will strengthen local identity and reconnect communities to opportunity.
AIREDALE HOSPITAL REBUILD
Airedale Hospital is being rebuilt as a national exemplar. Backed by £1 billion, it will be a world‑class healthcare and innovation hub, setting the pace on sustainable design, digital technology and patient‑focused care.
Bradford low carbon hydrogen programme
Bradford is claiming leadership in the hydrogen economy. With £500 million in government backing, a new 24MW green hydrogen facility at Birkshall will be live by 2027, fuelling up to 800 buses a day and powering the shift to cleaner industry and transport.
SOUTHERN GATEWAY
The Southern Gateway is Bradford at scale. At 126 hectares, three times the size of Canary Wharf, it’s the city’s largest regeneration site, delivering 5,000 new homes in a green, sustainable district that respects heritage and resets expectations for city living.
BRADFORD RAIL PROGRAMME
A new £2 billion city‑centre station is the single biggest move Bradford can make. Sitting at the heart of the Southern Gateway, it locks Bradford into the northern rail network, better connecting us with Leeds, Manchester and beyond.
MASS TRANSIT
A £2 billion tram system will redraw the map between Bradford and Leeds. Faster, more reliable journeys will open access to work, transform public space, and stitch communities together along the route, driving growth end to end.
CITY VILLAGE
City Village brings the city centre back to life. In partnership with English Cities Fund, up to 1,000 new homes across 25 hectares will turn two former markets into a lived‑in, cultural, 24/7 neighbourhood.
TOWNS TRANSFORMATION PROGRAMME
Across Keighley, Shipley, Ilkley and Bingley, town centres are being reset. Heritage‑led renewal, new homes, greener transport and digital upgrades will strengthen local identity and reconnect communities to opportunity.
AIREDALE HOSPITAL REBUILD
Airedale Hospital is being rebuilt as a national exemplar. Backed by £1 billion, it will be a world‑class healthcare and innovation hub, setting the pace on sustainable design, digital technology and patient‑focused care.
Bradford low carbon hydrogen programme
Bradford is claiming leadership in the hydrogen economy. With £500 million in government backing, a new 24MW green hydrogen facility at Birkshall will be live by 2027, fuelling up to 800 buses a day and powering the shift to cleaner industry and transport.
Our 3 delivery themes
Our plan is deliberately focused: four Main Drivers, delivered through the big seven Game Changers, guided by three Delivery Themes.
The plan is simple–play higher up the pitch. It’s about being the smartest, the most creative, the most connected.
People
Equipping communities with the skills for high‑value, sustainable careers, and healthy and productive lives.
Productivity
Accelerating growth in high-value sectors such as advanced manufacturing, financial and professional services, and digital technologies.
Place
Reimagining the district through smarter transport networks, revitalised urban centres, and inclusive, sustainable housing alongside green infrastructure.
OUR STRENGTHS
The city already has established strengths, sectors with immediate growth potential, and others that employ thousands or will become more significant as investment grows. The goal now is to turn this potential into long‑term, higher‑value economic growth.
Backing sector strength and opportunities
Advanced manufacturing& materials
Jobs
Businesses
Financial & professional
services
Jobs
Businesses
Food & drink
Jobs
Businesses
Turbocharging existing key sectors
digital & technology
Jobs
Businesses
Culture & Creativity
Jobs
Businesses
Opportunity sectors
Green Energy
Jobs
Businesses
Life Sciences
Jobs
Businesses
Transport & logistics
Jobs
Businesses
Backing sector strength and opportunities
Advanced manufacturing & materials
TextilesMachineryChemicalsRubber/PlasticsComputerElectronics/OpticalJobs
9,725Businesses
706106High-growth businessesFinancial & professional services
FinancialBack OfficeOperationsHead OfficeManagementElectronics/OpticalConsultancyJobs
23,125Businesses
4,056401High-growth businessesFood & drink
ManufacturingServiceWholesaleJobs
21,445Businesses
2,529142High-growth businessesTurbocharging existing key sectors
digital & technology
RF ClusterSpace & SatelliteEngineeringManufacturingConsultancyJobs
6,030Businesses
1,894159High-growth businessesCulture & Creativity
Newspaper PublishingArtistic CreationMuseumsCultural EducationJobs
7,560Businesses
2,816198High-growth businessesOpportunity sectors
Green Energy
Industrial DecarbonisationHydrogenJobs
2,025Businesses
37739High-growth businessesLife Sciences
Medical & Dental InstrumentsJobs
450Businesses
545High-growth businessesTransport & logistics
Food LogisticsWarehousingWholesale ChemicalFleet ConversionJobs
15,790Businesses
1,83238High-growth businesses
Building what growth needs
GROWTH DOESN’T HAPPEN IN ISOLATION.
Want to be part of Bradford’s regeneration and growth?
