THE new year could see plans to demolish a "problematic" eyesore building in the centre of Keighley brought forward by Bradford Council.

The former Keighley College building in North Street has remained empty since 2010, when the college re-located to a new building near the town's railway station.

The building has been marketed ever since, but the council, which owns it, revealed there had been no interest in it.

Now councillors on the Regeneration and Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee have been told that major decisions on the site's future could be made in early January.

Paul North, Airedale Masterplan manager, said the building's layout had put off any potential developers.

"We had no offers of interest. Quite a few people said 'knock it down and we'll be interested'. We will look at possible other solutions and a report will go to the council's executive in January."

Councillor David Heseltine (Con, Bingley) said: "Is this to say the only option for this is a flat site?"

Mr North replied: "We have to find an option to re-use the site and that could be to demolish the building and take things forward. A planning application will be lodged in January depending on what the decision of the executive is."

The committee heard that one option for the site was for a public sector hub, a building containing staff from various public bodies. It would be a smaller scale version of what has been proposed for Jacob's Well in the centre of Bradford.

Councillor Val Slater, the council's executive member for housing, transport and planning, said: "This is about keeping organisations in Keighley that might otherwise have to leave."

Councillor Susanne Hinchcliffe, executive for regeneration and skills, said: "We have done everything we can to move this site on. Keighley is a really successful town and a lot to celebrate. It is a great place to do business."

The committee also heard an update about another former college building, fronting Cavendish Street.

Charitable group The Utley Centre has plans to buy the building and turn it into a business and enterprise centre that could also contain educational space for classes promoting healthy living.

However, the scheme, first announced in February, needs to be signed off by the Government's Homes and Communities Agency.

Cllr Hinchcliffe said: "We have not had a response yet from the HCA. It is very frustrating."

A representative for the HCA had agreed to attend the meeting but contacted the council an hour before it was due to start to say they were too ill to attend.

Councillor Khadim Hussain (Lab, Keighley Central) described the lack of response from the HCA as "diabolical".

Raza Israil, the charity's project manager, said there had been some concerns locally that the planned educational use of the building would mean it could become a madrassa, but that this was "unequivocally not the case".