A £2.4 million bid for cash to spend on houses in Keighley is being made by Bradford council.

The money would be spent improving council houses, supporting private householders and transforming spare shop space into homes.

Extra cash could be available for small council-housing estates and 'social inclusion' schemes to improve the lives of residents.

The council needs government permission to borrow the money as part of its district-wide Housing Investment Programme (HIP), worth £28.6 million.

The HIP submission for 1999/2000 includes £500,000 for house improvements in Lawkholme and £500,000 for 'Living Over The Shop' conversions in central Keighley.

It also includes £1.4 million to supplement the £1.18 million due to be spent by the Single Regeneration Budget on improvements to homes in Braithwaite, Guard House, Bracken Bank, Woodhouse and Spring Bank.

Councillors are bidding for £2.8 million to fund essential improvements on small estates across the district, and these could include Keighley and surrounding villages.

A social inclusion budget of £1 million would be spent across the district on play areas, public spaces and community spaces.

In previous years the government has not given permission for the council to spend the full amount of its bid.

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