People living in Saltaire are urged to let their imaginations run wild with unusual, big or surreal ideas as the World Heritage Site moves into a new era.

Bradford Council’s world heritage site officer, who took up her post this summer, said residents’ input was vital and welcomed when developing a new blueprint for the area’s future.

Helen Thornton said: “It’s not the only chance, but this a chance to get creative. It’s the next era for Saltaire. It’s a logical point at which to take stock.”

The village was given World Heritage Site status by Unesco in December 2001 which recognised it as a complete and well-preserved industrial village.

As part of the status, a management plan must be drawn-up every decade reflecting on work done to preserve Sir Titus Salt’s creation and ways to maintain, promote and improve the area.

A lot of preservation work had been done, though there is still more to do.

“But we’ve ticked a lot of those boxes and now it’s time to turn our thoughts to really promoting it, really support the World Heritage Site status and put it on the map,” said Miss Thornton, who previously oversaw Leeds Council’s museums and galleries department.

Miss Thornton, working with a steering group, is co-ordinating views from residents, businesses, community groups, schools and anyone else with an interest in the village for the new management plan, with a first draft expected to be completed early next year.

In September, stakeholders were invited to share their thoughts and each come-up with a ‘big idea’.

“There were 114 of them,” she said. “But when you actually distil them, you see there are common themes. Almost a third related to better interpretation in one way or another. Quite a few said we need a visitor interpretation centre.”

Other ideas included opening up a cottage in its original state and mobile phone apps to guide people around the village.

Residents can speak-up at a meeting later this month.

“It might reinforce the majority of comments we’ve already heard, or it might bring up new ones – that’s what’s so exciting about the project, the imagination and wealth of ideas. There might be some absolute gems,” Miss Thornton said, adding that people’s enthusiasm made her new job much easier.

She said: “It almost goes without saying that it’s fantastic to work in such a heritage site where almost every building is grade II or grade II*-listed, but the other thing, very, very closely following, is the diversity – there’s no way I’m ever going to be bored in this job.”

l The public residents’ meeting will be held on Thursday, October 24, at 7.15pm, at Saltaire Methodist Church.