WORK is to begin on drawing up a neighbourhood plan for Keighley.

The document would give the community a greater say in shaping development across the town.

Once they are officially adopted, neighbourhood plans form part of the overall planning policy framework for the Bradford district.

They are used by the local authority when making decisions over planning applications. And developers can refer to them in putting together proposals.

Keighley Town Council has agreed to start the process of formulating a plan, and a working group will oversee its development.

Town mayor, Councillor Luke Maunsell, says: "I am delighted that the town council has decided to start work on developing a neighbourhood plan.

"This was one of the key objectives in our current town plan, and it's great to see work finally get underway.

"It isn’t going to be an easy task given the size of Keighley. We will want to hear from people right across Keighley to ensure the plan accurately reflects the needs of the whole town."

He said a neighbourhood plan would give the community "direct power" to develop a vision for Keighley and shape its growth.

Cllr Maunsell added: "If adopted by the people of Keighley via a referendum, it would become a recognised part of the planning process."

In the coming weeks, the town council will issue more details of how people can become involved in the process – including through membership of the working group.

An application to recognise Keighley as a neighbourhood area has been submitted to Bradford Council, to pave the way for work to be carried out on developing the plan.

There are currently 12 designated neighbourhood areas in the Bradford district.

Neighbourhood plans for Haworth, Cross Roads and Stanbury, and for Steeton with Eastburn and Silsden, were officially adopted last year after they were voted for by residents in local referendums. The documents had been several years in development. Over 80 per cent of residents who took part in the referendums voted in favour of the plans.

And a neighbourhood plan for Oxenhope was adopted this year. Work on the document began in 2014 and following the processes of consultation and examination, it went to a referendum in May when it received an 82.3 per cent vote in favour.

Harden Village Council began preparing a neighbourhood plan for its area in 2017 and the proposals went to consultation this summer.