AN EXPANDING Dales dairy wanting to move to Keighley has been warmly welcomed by councillors on a planning committee.

Bradford Council's regulatory and appeals committee thanked Grassington-based Dales Dairies for bringing at least 50 jobs to the town.

The committee unanimously approved plans to develop a major new facility at the vacant, 11,000 sq m Aireworth Distribution Centre, off Aireworth Road, Keighley.

Committee member Councillor Doreen Lee (Lab, Keighley East) said: "I am absolutely delighted this is taking place. Thank you."

The meeting yesterday heard that Dales Dairies had outgrown its existing base and needed a new home in order to continue expanding.

Paul Mason, operations development manager, said: "We are currently based at Town Head Farm, Grassington, in the Yorkshire Dales. In recent years, business has expanded to a point where the current site has reached capacity."

He said the dairy sourced its milk from 20 local farms, many of which were in a few miles of Keighley.

And he said they had struggled to find employees at the firm's current location and it was hoping the Keighley base would provide it with a workforce.

Mr Mason said the Aireworth Distribution Centre hadn't been in regular use for some time, and this would "provide some stable employment for many years to come".

He said the business employed 50 employees, but it aimed to quadruple production and would need to take on new staff to do so.

Committee member Councillor Abid Hussain (Lab, Keighley Central) said: "It's a good project, bringing 50 jobs. I fully recommend it for approval."

Cllr Lee said: "It's about time this building got used. For years and years it has stood there and just looked an eyesore.

"I'm really glad somebody's using it and I'm also glad you are going to expand the business. I hope you use local employees."

And committee chairman Councillor David Warburton (Lab, Wyke) said: "I think this is a good news story for Keighley - for the Bradford district but particularly for Keighley - that we are attracting businesses like this.

"I think one of the points you just made, about not people able to attract people in the area where you are, we have a workforce in Keighley."

Speaking afterwards, Mr Mason said he was very pleased with the outcome.

He said: "You never know with planning how it is going to go, but we received little objection throughout the whole process, so we were hoping for a positive result."

He said the firm hoped to take ownership of the site in August or September, which would then be followed by a 12 to 18-month-long development phase.