Plans are being drawn up to reopen a community centre forced to close in the summer because of rowdies and vandalism.

Local people in the Woodhouse and Springbank area of Keighley are being called on to get involved in the self-help project to relaunch the centre.

Keighley Community Area Panel was being asked to back the idea - which will involve commissioning consultants - at its meeting today.

Research into the needs of the community has to be completed by the end of this financial year.

A major part of the project will be consultation with residents. At least 200 interviews with residents of the Woodhouse and Springbank estate and a minimum of 100 with householders in the rest of the neighbourhood are recommended by Bradford Council.

The centre closed in July because of rowdy teenagers, "apathetic residents'' and the loss of a council grant. The last straw came after youth worker Paul Lownes faced threats and loutish behaviour from a handful of older youths using the building.

Councillor Steve Thomas has called on the community to become involved in making the project a success.

"We want to get from the community first-hand what they see as being the key problems.

"We are trying at the same time to find people who are willing to pick up some of the activities and also form a new committee," he said.

The Council was "very much committed" to getting the community centre reopened. "It is one of the areas in Keighley that needs a facility like this,'' he added.

A Bradford Council spokesman said the research would be an investigation, with wide community involvement, of local needs.

"There is a strongly held impression that there are considerable needs in the area, but at present local people are not able to sustain and support community-led resources and activities.''

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