An eyesore car park, partly blocked off because of subsidence, could become the location for a new medical centre.

Ling House surgery which has been in North Street, Keighley, for 100 years, could start the new century on part of the Scott Street car park.

Bradford Council officers want to sell about half of the car park - the biggest in Keighley - to the doctors' team and use the money to improve and increase remaining parking spaces. The transportation, planning and design committee will make a decision on Monday.

Large railway sleepers have barred drivers from using several bays because of subsidence in areas where cellars were filled-in after house demolition in the 1960s.

In the early 1990s the car park was earmarked for a new Keighley Magistrate's Court but the project was scrapped because of lack of cash.

Ling House staff have identified the eastern half of the land - the sealed-off area - as suitable for a new medical centre for their 9,300 patients.

Council officers have carried out two surveys to test how frequently Scott Street, which has 232 spaces, is used.

On January 7, 403 vehicles were seen entering and the average length of stay was 131 minutes. It was noted that at all times of the day there were free spaces.

A Council spokesman said: "The sale of the land would not entail any loss of spaces since the majority of the land subject to the sale is currently unus-able or accessible to road.

"The remaining land would be better laid out to accommodate more vehicles and is in urgent need of refurbishment."

Labour Councillor Barry Thorne (Keighley West) said all the money raised through the sale would be pumped into the car park to improve bay markings and the road surface and to make special places for disabled people.

Sandra Parnham, Keighley Town Centre Manager, said the management group had discussed the proposal on Wednesday and was broadly in favour.

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