A "TREMENDOUS amount of work" has been done to promote a village's World Heritage Site status - but there is "always room for improvement," according to a steering group.

Residents and councillors are to be updated next week on how work to promote Saltaire is progressing.

A management plan for the village was drawn-up and approved in 2014, looking at how to boost tourism and the economy while considering the objectives of the World Heritage Convention. The plan is a requirement as part of the village’s UNESCO World Heritage Site status, granted in December 2001.

Bradford Council has responsibility for ensuring its protection and conservation, with World Heritage Site officer Helen Thornton leading the work, supported by a steering group, made up of village residents, businesses and councillors.

Councillor Val Slater, Saltaire Steering Group chairman, said: “I think a tremendous amount of work has been done. There did not used to be a steering group. It is now fully representative. Working together has made even more of a difference.

“People who live and work there are all represented. Saltaire is one of the jewels in the crown in the Bradford district. It’s important that we keep people updated on what’s happening. At next week’s meeting, we will show exactly how much work we have done. There is always room for improvement.”

The group’s report will highlight the work completed to promote the village over the last two years. This includes two Saltaire Festivals, which each had an estimated attendance of 30,000 to 35,000 people and more than 100 individual art events held throughout the village. Other events included World Heritage Weekends, which saw 2,000 people attend each year. The village also hosted an inaugural conference of a new body created to promote the importance and appeal of UK World Heritage Sites. Last October's event attracted delegates including the Chief Executive of Visit England and UNESCO representatives from France and speakers from the Jurassic Coast.

The update will be given at the Council's Shipley Area Committee on Wednesday, December 14.

Back in 2012, a report said the Council must make more use of Saltaire’s World Heritage status, with the boost in tourism at that stage described as “marginal” as there had been a failure to promote the area.

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