A KEIGHLEY town-centre site is being transformed as part of a £12 million-plus development.

Twelve industrial units are being built on brownfield land at the corner of Dalton Lane and Bradford Road.

The units will be contained within five buildings.

Earlier this year, Government-funded support programme Keighley Towns Fund awarded a £6.56m grant towards the cost of the Providence Park scheme.

A grant agreement was signed with Modern Equipment & Foundry Engineering, the long-term owner of the former Universal Mills site.

The project is being delivered by Rock Structural PMC.

Around 80 jobs will be created once the development is complete, and construction employment during the building stage.

Over 3,800 square metres of business space are being provided through the venture.

The smallest unit is 150 square metres, and the largest 828.

Roof work is due for completion soon.

Ian Hayfield, chair of Keighley Towns Fund, describes the initiative as "another very exciting commercial development for Keighley".

He adds: "The jobs created will provide a real boost during the current economic climate."

Planning permission for the development was granted two years ago by Bradford Council.

A condition of approval was that five per cent of the 133 parking spaces being created should be fitted with EV charging points, and a further five per cent earmarked for provision in the future as EV take-up increases.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, the council's executive member for planning, regeneration and transport, says: "Demand for employment sites is huge across Keighley and the whole of the Aire Valley so this development is much needed and welcomed.

"One of the units we already know will be leased to Keighley College, which will work well because of the site’s proximity to the main campus."

The development was also welcomed by Keighley MP Robbie Moore.

He said: "I'm pleased to see the Government investing in Keighley to support local economic growth and create jobs, with the £6.56m funding just one part of the wider £33 million Towns Fund package of investment in Keighley.

"The redevelopment of this site will provide a boost to our town's manufacturing sector, revitalising underused brownfield land and creating jobs to make sure that Keighley is well-positioned to attract new businesses to our town, creating even more jobs and opportunities for our area."

Tom Rock – a director of Rock Structural PMC, and grandson of Modern Equipment & Foundry Engineering managing director Peter Rock – said the family had a long-established relationship with Keighley and was delighted to be continuing to invest in the area.