Neglected, rubbish-strewn bits of spare land are set to be transformed into attractively-landscaped community areas.

Bradford Council's executive committee will be asked on Wednesday to contribute £137,500 towards the £847,140 project which is being half funded by the European Regional Development fund (ERDF).

Over the past three years, with the help of ERDF money, the Bradford Community Environmental Project has worked with communities in Manningham and Girlington, Bradford, on several improvement schemes.

They include improving allotments, rebuilding boundary walls, planting trees and shrubs and community clean-ups.

And the fund has now made a further grant towards establishing Bradford Community Enterprise to tackle more environmental improvement schemes over the next two years

They include clearing up run-down areas of spare land, which tend to attract illegal fly-tippers, and setting up food co-operatives and allotment projects through the Bradford Food Links Network and Bradford City Farm.

Other partners in the project include Bradford and Shipley Area Panels, Bradford and Shipley Colleges and the Odsal Residents Association.

Councillor Latif Darr, executive member for Transportation and Planning, said: "The aim is to clean up the district by mounting a blitz on litter and rubbish and to work with local communities so that they take a pride in their local environment.''

One of the neglected sites being considered for improvement is a large open area of rough grass in Donald Avenue, Odsal.

Other proposed areas include: parts of Undercaliffe Cemetery and North Wing, Undercliffe; Waiter Street, Bolton Woods, Faxfleet Street, Odsal; Church Street and Carlisle Road, Manningham; Basil Street and Horton Park Avenue, Little Horton.

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