THE TWO former Keighley College sites should be sold as one huge development plot, say leading regeneration figures.

Closing part of Lord Street to link the two vacant sites could make them both more attractive to commercial developers.

Airedale Centre manager Steve Seymour believes such a move could help meet a crying need in Keighley for a hotel/leisure complex.

And district councillor Andrew Mallinson claims it would provide alternative to Bradford Council’s current proposal to build a public-sector ‘hub’ on the North Street site.

The men’s comments came after the council revealed it was considering demolishing the Cavendish Street college building following unsuccessful attempts to sell it intact.

Demolition contractors have been working on the adjacent North Street site for several weeks and only a small section of the building remains.

Similar demolition proposals for the smaller Cavendish Street building, near the entrance to Keighley bus station, will soon be put before the council’s ruling Executive.

Cllr Andrew Mallinson, a member of the council’s Regeneration and Economy committee, said he was still opposed to the Hub project, which aims to bring several public bodies together under one roof.

He said: “I don’t think the Hub will deliver the type of wide-ranging activities Keighley needs, such as office, commercial, residential and leisure all together.

“What we need is a mixed development site. There is no reason the Cavendish Street and North Street sites can’t be marketed as a vacant joint plot.”

Cllr Mallinson suggested the Executive developed his ‘twin site’ idea in tandem with the Hub project.

He said: “They could offer both proposals to the market to see what the interest would be. This is a good plan B. We can’t be waiting another two years before they go to the marketplace again.”

Steve Seymour, who has been involved in regeneration issues for several years with first Keighley Town Centre Partnership then its successor Keighley Business Improvement District, suggests a twin site could best meet the needs of Keighley.

He said: “You could drop a Premier Inn or Travelodge in there and conference facilities, or some nice leisure and restaurants that would fit in with the existing night-time community on North Street.”

“I think it will be a far more attractive site if they could close Lord Street to make it an L-shaped unit. It would raise the building’s profile and make it more visible to the main shopping entrance.

“I’d rather see that site developed before the Worth Valley Shopping Centre site on East Parade because it’s nearer the town centre. If you look at the routes people come into the town, this is the main thoroughfare.”