Plans have been submitted to construct Bradford's tallest building.

Developer Asquith Properties is bidding to build a 38-storey glass tower as part of a £150 million complex off Manchester Road.

The application is before Bradford Council planners, having been approved by regeneration group Bradford Trident which held a competition to select the developer for the site once occupied by the run-down Reyner House complex of shops and flats.

Previous plans for skyscrapers in the city have met opposition from the Council. Independent designers were brought in to scrutinise the showpiece Channel development near Forster Square after negotiations between the developer and Bradford Council broke down over the height of two towers which were proposed to be 25 and 22 storeys.

Long-running talks between Bradford Channel Ltd (BCL) and the planning department ended in stalemate last July, with the team behind the proposals saying they had "compromised enough" on the height of two towers. The Urban Economic Development Group (URBED) was eventually brought in to broker an agreement on the £350m development and it was eventually agreed the towers would be reduced to 16 and 24 storeys.

The Citygate project would create more than 700 residential units on the 21,000 square metre, mixed-use site. Most of the units would be luxury apartments but a 116-bedroom hotel is also planned.

Asquith Properties is also the developer of the Gatehaus residential development in Little Germany, Bradford, which opens for occupancy this week. The company's chairman, Russell Baker, said: "Citygate will set the standard for modern luxury living for the people of Bradford.

"It's great news our plans have been accepted by Trident and that the planning application has been submitted. It means that we are well on the road to developing another incredible, contemporary building, with breathtaking views across Bradford."

Wayne Noteman, housing project manager of Bradford Trident, said: "Citygate is a flagship scheme for the city and local communities will be transformed. We are delighted with the proposed development."

The Gatehaus complex was runner-up in the best city centre development and the best marketing campaign categories at the 2007 Resiprops (Residential Property) Awards, organised by the Royal Variety Club at a ceremony in Leeds in February. The project is now well on the way to completion. All the apartments have already been sold.

The Citygate buildings have been designed by leading architectural firm Glenn Howells.

Asquith Properties has said that, should its plan be approved without objection, it expected to begin work on the Citygate project within the year.

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