Bradford's leaders gathered in Undercliffe today to be told the area is ripe for revival and regeneration

And ironically the high profile launch - the conclusion to research carried out to raise awareness of difficulties in the area in a bid to attract funding - was being held at a Community Centre threatened with the axe after having its grant rejected.

North Wing Mission Comm-unity Centre is due to close after Bradford Council turned down its community grant of £9,500.

Capacity co-ordinator for Undercliffe, Manjinder Sarai, who wrote the report, is employed by funding from the European Redevelopment Fund, Business in the Community, Bradford Council, West Yorkshire Police and Bradford and Ilkley Community College. He said before the launch: "It will be embarrassing for the council that a centre which is doing so much and asked for less than £10,000, can't even get that when the area needs so much more."

A spokesman for Bradford North Area Panel said: "This matter has been raised through the Neighbourhood Forum on many occasions and the Area Panel is now working with residents to develop a strategy for regenerating this part of Bradford."

The council will welcome grants appeals until 5pm on Friday.

Lord Mayor Councillor Tony Miller, councillors, directors, employers, police and regeneration groups attended the launch of the report. They were told the top priorities for Undercliffe were:

education, training and facilities for young people;

action on drugs; and

improvements to the landscape and surroundings

Mr Sarai said: "The main problems relate to high unemployment and a sense of apathy emanating from families which have experienced up to three generations of unemployment and under-achievement." He added that welfare and training initiatives were too small and there was little for the Asian residents of Undercliffe.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.