A GLOBAL development firm hoping to invest up to £90 million in Bradford has offered fresh hope for two prominent mothballed schemes.

Malaysia-based Golden Sands Developments has stepped in to take on two city-centre housing sites which other firms have so far failed to bring to fruition.

They are just two of five major schemes the firm has for Bradford, with its co-director Ameer Abas saying they have been attracted by the city's continuing regeneration.

Grade II listed Midland Mills in Valley Road has stood empty since 2001.

Golden Sands Developments bought the site for £2.2 million at the end of June, after two previous firms failed to develop the complex.

It has now scaled down a previous developer's £35 million plans into a more viable £20 million scheme.

Work is now under way converting the three empty mill buildings into 94 one- and two-bedroom apartments for rent, with the first apartments due to be complete by January.

The firm will also soon be applying for planning permission to add two new blocks of apartments on the site, giving 185 flats in total.

Mr Abas said the scheme would see the Bradford Beck, which runs underneath the site, opened up as a feature and as many of the mill's historic features as possible retained - including its eye-catching weather vane which features a goat.

He said the apartments were being sold to foreign investors, with two blocks already sold out.

He said he was confident there would be a market for the apartments, saying it would attract those starting work at Westfield's soon-to-open Broadway shopping centre as well as those commuting from Forster Square station into Leeds.

He said: "Bradford is a growing city and we can see that. There is a lot of investment coming into Bradford.

"Westfield is actually investing £270 million into Bradford and that itself is very encouraging, because a company like Westfield would not spend £270 million if they did not see a future in the city.

"The fact that Bradford University is expanding and spending a lot of money building new facilities - all that adds up."

The firm has also bought up part of the area off Manchester Road flattened to make way for the long-awaited Citygate development.

Part of the site had originally been earmarked for an apart-hotel, and had most recently been owned by the firm Key Homes Bradford, but the company folded earlier this year.

Now Golden Sands Developments has bought it and will soon submit plans for a £30-£40 million scheme for 380 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

The company has also submitted a planning application to build a new £8 million accommodation block at Thornton Road.

The project, called Platinum One, would see a stone building demolished to make way for 138 studio and one-bedroom flats for students and professionals, as well as shop units and a cafe.

Mr Abas said there was also the potential to develop a site next door, which if built would be known as Platinum Two.

Golden Sands Developments is also nearing the end of a scheme to create 62 apartments at Victoria House, at the junction of Akam Road and Sunbridge Road.

Construction is due to finish next month.

Mr Abas said the flats were being marketed at both students and professionals, with two of the three floors already fully let.

And it also has plans in the pipeline for a new-build development at Barkerend Road.

The £15 million scheme, called Yorkshire Residences, would see three blocks built with commercial units on the lower floors and 160 apartments above.

Golden Sands Developments was only formed last year but already has offices in a handful of cities across the world, including one in Burnett Street, Bradford.

Mr Abas said he and his co-director Kamran Khan had more than a decade of combined experience in property development.

Bradford Council deputy leader and executive member for planning, Councillor Val Slater, welcomed the investment in Bradford.

She said: "It is reassuring to know that developers are seeing Bradford as a city that is on the up. Obviously, that demonstrates confidence.

"We as a council are well aware we are seeing a resurgence and upward growth, and it is very pleasing to see there are companies that are prepared to invest in our area.

"My only concern with this is it all seems to be apartments and I have slight concerns we would get a glut of that type of building."

Mr Abas said his firm were committed to building apartments of a good size, and that they would rather have fewer, larger flats in their developments - which Cllr Slater said sounded "encouraging".