A £6.56 MILLION grant has been awarded towards a new industrial development in Keighley.

The Keighley Towns Fund cash is supporting the creation of up to seven industrial units on brownfield land at the corner of Dalton Lane and Bradford Road.

A grant agreement has been signed with Modern Equipment & Foundry Engineering, the long-term owner of the site.

Keighley has secured £33 million from the Towns Fund, a Government-funded support programme.

The fund is designed to boost the economies of towns across the UK and forms part of the Government’s levelling up plan.

The Dalton Lane scheme, worth over £12 million in total, is being delivered by Rock Structural PMC.

Around 80 jobs will be created once the project is complete, as well as construction employment during the building stage.

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

Tom Rock – a director of Rock Structural PMC, and grandson of Modern Equipment & Foundry Engineering managing director Peter Rock – says: "Our family has a long-established relationship with Keighley and we are delighted that this funding has allowed us to continue investing in the area.

"The site and business has been family owned for over 50 years, previously providing services to the heavy engineering sector.

"This grant support will allow us to undertake a comprehensive redevelopment of the whole site to provide a modern industrial estate."

Ian Hayfield, chair of Keighley Towns Fund board, says: "This is a fantastic opportunity to bring brownfield land back into use and investment into Keighley town centre. I look forward to seeing the scheme develop and businesses sign up."

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s executive member for transportation, planning and highways, says the project will create space for businesses to invest and expand.

He adds: "Keighley has a diverse and well-established manufacturing sector, with a quarter of our local workforce employed by it, and we know the sector can grow quicker with the correct investment and support."

And the scheme is also welcomed by Keighley MP Robbie Moore.

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