Dozens of delegates from throughout the region were gathering in Saltaire today for a conference aimed at promoting sustainable regeneration as a central part of Yorkshire's economic future.

Staged at the Victoria Hotel in Saltaire the conference - entitled Sustainable Regeneration in a World Class Region - was being addressed this afternoon by Richard Caborn, Minister of Planning, Regeneration and the Regions.

The village was chosen because it is a prime example of successful regeneration.

More than 200 delegates were attending the conference, among them Bradford Council leader, Councillor Ian Greenwood, and various Council officers.

Other delegates include representatives from local authorities, Training and Enterprise Councils, businesses, universities and voluntary groups.

The conference has been organised by Forum for the Future - a national partnership of independent experts.

Steve Schofield, development officer for Sustainable Wealth West Yorkshire - part of Forum for the Future - said the conference was part of a consultation process which would culminate in the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Development Agency presenting a strategy for future economic development to John Prescott, Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

He said: "The concept of sustainable regeneration is an on-going theme for the Government and the conference is an important opportunity for the people involved to contribute to the consultation process.

"There will be workshops looking at particular aspects of sustainable regeneration with input from the major economic players in the region.''

He added: "One of the reasons we wanted to hold it in Saltaire was because the village is a prime example of how regeneration can be tackled effectively, given how run-down the mill was at one stage, and shows what can be achieved if it's done with a bit of imagination."

He said Saltaire, which is on a list of sites which are to be nominated for World Heritage status, had managed to combine industrial and commercial regeneration with cultural regeneration.

A spokesman for the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions said : "The minister will outline the Government's perspective on preserving, developing and improving the regional economy, and the region's environment and quality of life for generations to come.''

The late Jonathan Silver helped spark a revival in the village's fortunes when he bought derelict Salts Mill in 1987 and installed 53 pictures by Bradford-born artist David Hockney, believing culture would attract commerce.

The mill, built by Saltaire's founder Sir Titus Salt in the 19th century, became home to Pace Microtechnology and is now a multi-million pound complex.

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