LANDOWNERS could be forced to sell up to allow a multi-million pound junction improvement to go ahead.

A £6.8 million scheme aims to to remodel the busy crossroads where Harrogate Road, one of the main routes into Bradford, meets New Line at Greengates.

Delays to the major project mean highways bosses now don't think work will even start until late 2017, two years behind schedule.

Now Bradford Council is pressing ahead with plans to forcibly buy up the land needed for the work, if they fail to negotiate a reasonable deal with any landowners.

The improvement works would see the roads widened considerably, as well as a short-cut created on the north-east side of the junction to allow some motorists to avoid the main crossroads entirely.

But to get started, it could require up to 19 separate parcels of land outside the existing highway.

Tomorrow, the Council's Executive will be asked to formally approve a compulsory purchase order (CPO) for the whole area needed, but deputy council leader Councillor Val Slater said these powers will only be used as a last resort.

Cllr Slater, executive member for highways at the Labour-led authority, said: "It is a parallel process, so that things aren't delayed too long.

"If we start a compulsory purchase order, it is there if we need to use it, but at the same time, we will continue to try to negotiate with people.

"If we tried negotiations, and they dragged on, and then we started a CPO, then it would drag on even further."

She said the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which is funding much of the work, would be appointing a specialist negotiator to gather up the land needed.

Cllr Slater said "all effort" would be made to negotiate sales amicably, but added: "That doesn't mean to say that obviously we are going to purchase land at stupid prices.

"While we need to progress, we have got to bear in mind value for money, because it is taxpayers' money.

"Taxpayers can't be held to ransom."

One ward councillor, Dominic Fear (Lib Dem, Idle and Thackley) urged the authorities not to rush the compulsory purchase arrangements.

He said as far as he was aware, the relevant landowners hadn't even been contacted yet.

Cllr Fear said the authority must let full negotiations take place before they "start slapping on CPOs".

He said: "That is not a good way of doing business and it will alienate the community."

The project had originally been due to be finished by December 2017 to tie in with a number of major housing developments nearby, including 267 homes being built at Simpson Green, Apperley Bridge, 220 homes being built at Cote Farm, Thackley and 130 homes planned for Harrogate Road, Greengates.

The junction work is being funded mainly by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority's Transport fund, with around £2m coming from Miller Homes, the developer behind the Simpson Green housing scheme.