Marks & Spencer is to anchor Westfield’s proposed Bradford scheme, which was mothballed when the recession hit.

The developer has restarted discussions with retailers after it put construction on hold in 2008. This week it resubmitted a planning application for the proposed scheme, which comprises 550,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space.

Westfield came under fire from locals when it demolished the site in 2004, then put the brakes on construction amid the recession, leaving a vacant site in the city centre.

However, M&S has now agreed terms for a 60,000 sq ft store at the yet-to-be-built, £275m Broadway development. The retailer was previously in discussions to open a store in the development before it stalled.

M&S director of property Clem Constantine said the retailer’s new store would “offer the best of M&S to our customers in Bradford and the surrounding area, and will include a full line offer in food, clothing, homewares and gifts”.