Big changes could be made to community life in Parkwood and Parkwood Rise as a result of a new survey.

In-depth research is being carried out into what improvements are most needed in the two neighbourhoods.

All residents will be invited to outline their gripes, concerns and ideas in areas such as housing, crime, health and environment.

They will then be encouraged to get involved in projects to make the neighbourhoods safer, cleaner and closer-knit.

The research is being coordinated by Keighley Voluntary Services, using money from the government's Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

Bradford College degree students Karen Wadsworth and Lesley Wright - working under two consultants - are distributing questionnaires to every resident.

The five-page questionnaires ask about problems such as vandalism, drugs, violence, housing conditions and traffic, as well as what facilities people would like.

Karen, from Haworth, and Parkwood resident Lesley are opening an office in one of the Parkwood Rise flats.

They are meeting residents' groups and organisations - such as council departments, police and health agencies - that work in the area.

The women even plan to talk directly with pupils of Parkwood Primary School to discover children's wants and needs.

They are also working closely with Parkwood Rise tenant Rose Thompson, a Keighley town councillor who has set up a residents' action group.

Although Karen and Lesley are covering the whole area, they accept that residents of Parkwood and Parkwood Rise see themselves as two individual communities.

They hope the research findings, to be written into a report, will lead to improvements in both areas. Said Lesley: "It's about giving the whole community what they want. It's giving them some kind of hope, some way of speaking about things.

"We hope we can get a group together. We want to find people who want to get things done."

Karen points out that while some residents are complaining about their lives, particularly in Parkwood Rise, others are very happy to live there.

Surji Cair, the KVS community centres officer, believes the research could help residents emulate the success of other Keighley communities. Well-organised residents of areas such as Stockbridge and Highfield have attracted outside funding for community buildings and activities.

Surji, who is overseeing the research, promises KVS will continue to support residents of the Parkwood area once the research ends next month.

Parkwood Rise residents can attend the next action group meeting on Tuesday at 6 am in the community centre. Karen and Lesley are available to speak to anyone, every Wednesday (11am-2pm) in their office at No 5 Leylands House. They can be contacted most weekdays on 01535 665258, and can arrange to see people by appointment.