DETAILED plans on how millions of pounds of funding for projects in Keighley and Shipley will finally be submitted to government next month, almost two years after the funding was first announced.

The first "business cases" for projects that will benefit from the Government's Towns Fund are currently being finalised, with the first waves of cash likely to be handed to the towns in March.

The funding will see Shipley given £25m and Keighley receive £33m, and proposals have been drawn up for schemes ranging from a new wetlands site to a health and wellbeing hub.

News that Keighley and Shipley would benefit from the Towns Fund was announced shortly before the General Election in late 2019.

Towns Fund boards were set up to decide how the cash would be spent, and were made up of local business leaders, Councillors, community groups and the MP for each Constituency, Philip Davies and Robbie Moore, who was voted in in 2019.

This Summer the Government announced that it was impressed enough in the proposals that Shipley would get £25m and Keighley £33m - the fifth highest amount paid to any of the 100 successful areas nationally.

At a meeting of Bradford Council's Executive on Tuesday members will be given an update on the funding, and when work on the multiple schemes is likely to begin.

Projects proposed for Shipley include: Setting up a £7 million fund to restore and repurpose buildings and redevelop sites for commercial and residential use.

Improvements to Shipley Market Square (£5m) Developing a new "Community Art and Future Technology Centre" (£5.39m) The creation of an enterprise hub in Shipley Library (£80,000) A Health and Wellbeing hub (£3m) Creating a new public wetlands at Wrose Quarry, which will include new recreation facilities (£70,000) Business cases for all the projects need to be submitted to Government by June, although plans for the Library enterprise hub and wetlands are being submitted next month.

Projects proposed for Keighley include: A £14 million fund to restore and repurpose buildings and redevelop sites for commercial and residential use Public realm and transport infrastructure improvements (£2.39m) A new skills hub for the town (£910,000) A training hub specialising in manufacturing and engineering skills (£3m) A creative arts hub (£2.6m) Support for the Keighley Arts and Film Festival (£240,000 A health and wellbeing hub - expected to be on the former Keighley College site (£3.4m) The business cases for the investment fund, arts hub, and Art and Film Festival funding will be submitted next month.

Funding for all the projects is expected to be handed over by Government by September.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, said: “Our local Town Fund projects are progressing well.

“I’d like to thank the chairs and members of both boards for their hard work, commitment and passion for these projects. We have worked tirelessly with them to secure some of the most substantial grants for Shipley and Keighley.

“This next phase, required by the government, will flesh out the details to ensure they reflect local priorities. As part of this, we will ensure communities’ and businesses’ voices are involved in shaping the detail.”