BRADFORD Council plans to build a public services hub on the Keighley town centre site of a demolished former college building have been attacked by a district councillor.

Councillor Brian Morris, of Keighley West, has added his voice to calls for the large vacant plot at the junction of North Street and Cavendish Street to be left to become a park.

He said the proposed new hub would be ugly, as well as "unnecessary and unwanted".

However, Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council's executive member for Planning, Regeneration and Transport, has hit back, arguing that the district council wants to use this land to help regenerate Keighley's town centre.

Cllr Morris said: "The council’s plans to build a 'one stop shop', also known as a Keighley Hub, on the old college site have been flawed from the beginning.

"Two of the leading partners that have been talked about behind closed doors have already pulled out.

"Information has come to light that the NHS and Police have decided it’s not for them. Others I am told are teetering on the edge because the economy is not stable enough nationally or locally at the moment.

"So the only occupants for this proposed lump of concrete will be council staff drafted in from various parts of the town and district to fill a building that from the start is, unwanted, unnecessary, and will be as nice to look at as a toilet wall.

"So why not leave the open space as it is? Better still, list it as a village green. This will preserve this valuable eco-friendly area and keep it free from concrete in the future.

"It may serve Bradford to have concrete around every corner, but I believe Keighley would prefer green over grey any day of the year.

"If Bradford wants a 'hub' they can spend the £19 million on the remaining former college building [in Cavendish Street], instead of demolishing a perfectly serviceable property.

"If the executive think Keighley wants another unnecessary lump of concrete in the centre of town, or would prefer a green open space then I challenge Bradford to ask the ratepayers of Keighley what they think."

Cllr Ross-Shaw responded: "The council is involved in ongoing discussions with two public sector partners, to occupy part of the former college sites and these are not yet concluded.

"Naturally our prime concern is to make sure that the site is used to support Keighley’s continuing town centre regeneration."

Senior Bradford councillors agreed to allocate cash for the Keighley public sector and community hub back in January 2016.

They said the money would include £3.4 million of council cash and £15.7 million to be recouped from the partner organisations involved.

Council leaders said this new building would mean at least 15 nearby public sector properties could be vacated and sold off for redevelopment.