NEW business units, refurbished heritage attractions and a new cultural centre are among the numerous projects in Keighley that could get a share of £25 million funding.

In December 2019 it was announced that Keighley would be one of dozens of towns in the UK to benefit from the Government’s Towns Fund.

The programme would help regenerate towns and areas that have experienced decline in recent decades, and many getting funding are industrial towns like Keighley.

A Towns Board has been set up to come up with a list of schemes the £25m could be spent on, and in the coming days a final submission for funding will be made to the Government.

The board is made up of local businesses, councillors, MP Robbie Moore, and local organisations such as charities.

When the public was asked to make suggestions on how the money should be spent over 1,000 people had their say.

Altogether over 50 projects have been suggested, including some in the wider Keighley constituency area - although it has yet to be revealed which ones will be submitted to Government for funding requests.

What regeneration projects should Shipley spend £25 million funding on?

Some of the projects include:

- The creation of a Keighley Health and Wellbeing Centre in the town centre, which would “bring together GP services including self-care and prevention, as well as community care, mental health, dental care services and a GP training hub.”

- Keighley Cougar Facilities Regeneration: Redevelopment of the main stand to provide modern facilities, including a business incubator

- The refurbishment of Haworth’s public toilets

- Worth Valley Cycle Way, a cycleway from Oxenhope to Keighley

- New industrial units at the Aire Valley Business Centre

- Create a new community centre in the Stockbridge area

- Repurposing of Dalton Mill to transform it into a business and community centre focused on creative and digital industries

- A new community arts hub in Keighley town centre

- Improvements to Low Street including new paving, upgraded street lighting and new benches

- Improvements to seven community centres, including Haworth Village Hall and Central Hall

- A women’s employment project

- The refurbishment and “re-purposing” of buildings on North Street and Cavendish Street

- Works to refurbish and create new business space at West Lane, Prospect Mills and Low Mill

- One way traffic system on Cavendish Street

- Support for the development of the Keighley Art and Film Festival.

- Series of improvements on the Keighley and Worth Valley heritage railway line to increase the line capacity, flexibility of operations and subsequently traffic

- Re-establish a police museum in the town centre

- Improvements to Keighley Rail Station

- Improvements of the banks of the River Worth with walking and cycling routes and protected wildlife

- Restoration of a 200-yard length of Oakworth’s Edwardian promenade

- Improvements to Church Yard and Albert Yard

- Tree planting across the town