A BUSINESSMAN with past links to an under-investigation development company has said his current business is stable and its own projects in Bradford are progressing well.

Malaysia-based entrepreneur Ameer Abas was a former director of Absolute Living Developments (ALD), whose collapse this year is being investigated by police in Hong Kong.

The liquidation of ALD has left three projects in Bradford unfinished and has sparked protests in Hong Kong, where hundreds of buy-to-let investors fear they have lost millions of pounds.

Mr Abas, who resigned from ALD in 2014, is now a director of Golden Sands Developments, another company which builds apartments and sells them to overseas buy-to-let investors.

He said he had left ALD over concerns about the way projects were being constructed and had set up his own company, with help from another former director ofALD, British resident Adrianne Nyau.

He said: “I started my own company, named Golden Sands Developments. I wanted to have full control on the development part of the business as well, so that I will not have the same experience that I had with Absolute Living Developments.

“I needed a UK individual to be my partner, to set up bank accounts and other formalities in the UK and Ms Nyau happens to be a friend of mine living in the UK, hence why I requested her assistance on this matter.

“She then subsequently resigned, once I met Kamran Khan, who is still my business partner.

“Golden Sands Developments’ projects are stable, and GSD is financially sound.”

Mr Khan, co-director of Golden Sands Developments, added that their investors’ money was kept safe with lawyers until they needed to draw it down.

He added: “We are definitely in Bradford for the long haul.”

Mr Abas said Golden Sands’ first project, creating apartments within Victoria House, in Akam Road, would be finished within the next two weeks.

He said at the former textile mill Midland Mills, at Valley Road, the first block of apartments was scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

He said demolition work had begun on plans for a new student block called Platinum One, in Thornton Road, and a fourth scheme was planned in Sheffield.

He said: “GSD has no intention whatsoever to abandon any projects and put the clients in any sort of discomfort.”

Mr Khan said work at Victoria House had been delayed by fire regulations requirements and work at Midland Mills had been delayed by negotiations with Bradford Council over the windows they could use in a listed building, but both were now nearing completion.

Previously, the firm had said it was looking into the idea of a second phase of development, called Platinum Two, at Thornton Road, as well as a new-build called Yorkshire Residences at Barkerend Road.

Mr Khan said these were not being pursued.

But he said they did still hope to develop apartments on part of the Citygate site in Manchester Road.