One hundred jobs will be created if plans by national brewing giant Whitbread to build a £2.5million hotel and restaurant at Crossflatts get the go-ahead. Dozens more jobs in the construction industry would follow with the massive scheme.

The complex would cover 10,400 square metres of the old Sandbeds garden centre near the roundabout by the Magnet showroom. It would take around six months to complete.

The mostly two-storey building would feature accommodation equal to a three-star Travel Inn hotel. It would have 41 bedrooms costing £38 a night and a Brewers Fayre licensed family restaurant complete with fun factory.

There would be 130 car parking spaces, including disabled ones, a restaurant menu in braille and full disabled facilities.

Whitbread communications co-ordinator Cheryl Brooks says: "It's a large investment and proves our confidence in the area. We will be delighted if it comes to fruition. It is quite a nice site with access onto a main road, the A650. We would hope to start work in the back end of the year or early 1999. It will be good news job-wise for the area. Most workers would be recruited locally."

Bingley Police Inspector David Drucquer says he has not yet made up his mind about whether to oppose the licence application at Keighley Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

A Keighley planning spokesman says the application would be discussed in committee on Thursday, October 15. She says: "Hotel use does fall within the planning remit. A very high quality of design will be expected simply because it has been quite a prominent site."

She says there have been three objections from local residents including concerns that it would be extremely visible and eye-catching, fears over traffic volume and worries over noise levels.

Keighley MP Ann Cryer welcomes the proposed development, saying: "It will give employment and additional leisure facilities for the area. There is not much in eating facilities between Bingley town centre and Keighley. Apart from the Bankfield Hotel and Oakwell Hall there are not a great deal of restaurants. I wish it well and hope it will bring jobs and pleasure.

"I think it will be a good addition to the area. Keighley and Bradford are increasingly becoming touristy places and I can only welcome it.

"I am quite sure that the local authority will look at the implications of the traffic on the road and make certain to address this."

Iain Copping, director of Keighley Business Forum, says: "I am delighted to see development taking place. I think we need a better hotel provision in the Aire Valley."

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