Keighley is undergoing exciting changes as part of the Airedale Masterplan, a long-term vision to regenerate the Aire Valley. The Masterplan, which covers Keighley, Bingley, Shipley and the surrounding rural areas, is predicted to attract £2 billion of investment into the area. The plan aims to create a ‘creative, connected lifestyle corridor’ with a strong focus on digital industry to bolster the decline of more traditional industries in the area.

The Masterplan , designed by Arup, was launched in 2005, and it is expected to attract £21 billion worth of investment into Airedale within the next ten years. Keighley is an integral part of the vision, as it is earmarked to become the capital of Airedale and the plan hoped to position Airedale as a key economic component of the Leeds City region. As the biggest town in Airedale, it's heritage and it's proximity to Leeds and Bradford means the town has a huge amount of potential which will be enhanced by the renovation of Dalton Mills. The mill is only ten minutes from Keighley railway station, yet it is set against the stunning rural backdrop of the River Worth, which has just undergone a massive clean up.

Andy Taylor from the Airedale Partnership commented on the close link between Dalton Mills and the delivery of the Airedale Masterplan. He said: “The refurbishment of Dalton Mill to provide high quality business space is another clear indication that developers such as Magna Holdings are fully behind the principles and objectives of the Airedale Masterplan. The launch of the Masterplan in March 2005 has triggered a £2bn regeneration programme which will position Airedale as a key economic component of the Leeds City Region and has caught the imagination and commitment of a wide range of partners from the private and public sectors.”

The development of Dalton Mills is just one of the key projects in the strategy. Other Masterplan projects include the refurbishment of Keighley rail station, the Advanced Digital Institute, a world class technology centre, a hotel and leisure complex to be built at the old Keighley College site and the new Park Lane College, Keighley.

For more information about the Airedale Masterplan, please visit www.airedalepartnership.org