Work has started on a £2 million redevelopment project at Timothy Taylor's Keighley brewery which will see an increase in the firm's capacity levels.

The firm has demolished an old loading bay and store in preparation for a building to house four fermenting vessels and a barrel racking system. The project at the Knowle Spring brewery also includes enhanced soundproofing. The extra fermenting vessels will increase capacity by up to 30 per cent.

Peter Eells, head brewer, said: "This expansion will give us greater production flexibility, yet at the same time enable us to maintain time-honoured cask ale brewing in open fermenters.''

Last year the firm said it could be forced to quit Keighley if it could not get planning permission to extend. Concerns had been raised over the height of the new building.

Timothy Taylor's managing director, Charles Dent, said: "We have thought very carefully about it and have spent more than a year designing it. This isn't the cheaper option.

"We are aware of our neighbours' worries about noise. The new building would actually mean less noise for neighbours.

"We will improve the access road and put up extra lighting for security.

"There is nothing we can do about the height of the building, it needs to be that tall to accommodate the brewing."

Timothy Taylor is the last independent brewery of its kind left in West Yorkshire brewing traditional cask conditioned ales.

The company was founded by former tailor Timothy Taylor during the industrial revolution in 1858.