WHILST walking around the pleasant green space bounded by North Street, Alice Street, Lord Street and Cavendish Street one bright sunny winter morning, the thought hit me – why does anyone need to construct a new building on this space?

By default, having demolished the former Mechanics/grammar school/college building, Bradford Council has provided the people of Keighley with a new green open space in the town centre – and isn’t it wonderful?

So why not now provide a relatively small amount of investment to bring in some mature trees and saplings and benches and formally create a ‘Central Park’ which would greatly improve the environment of the town centre, would complement Town Hall Square, give great pleasure to thousands of people and – by providing leafy cover – would improve the quality of air in one of the most congested parts of Keighley.

Hopefully our MP, and the thousands of residents who say they are against the proposed Marley waste incinerator because they fear air pollution, would also argue in support of a green park for central Keighley to improve air quality.

The Prime Minister says she wants 15 million new trees across the north of England, so can we please have just a few of those new trees in central Keighley?

Bradford city centre has its barren concrete City Park, why shouldn’t Keighley go one better and develop a more environmentally-positive tree-covered, grass-green ‘Town Park’?

GRAHAM MITCHELL Keighley Town Mayor, 2006-07 and 2014-15