Town centre living should be encouraged in Keighley to ensure it becomes the capital of Airedale.

It could spark a boom in the local economy and a boost in house prices, said Councillor Simon Cooke, Bradford Council's executive member for re-generation.

He said: "We want Keighley to be the capital of Airedale. It is the biggest town and has the heritage and the potential to be just that.

"And town centre living is an important element. It helps make a place more economically successful and therefore an even more attractive place to live."

Keighley should not get left behind Bradford where latest forecasts see the number of people living in the city set to rise by ten-fold to more than 7,500 thanks to conversions and new building, he added.

Coun Cooke is backing calls in the Airedale Masterplan, the blueprint for the future of the valley, for more town centre dwelling.

The document says it would attract commuters working in Leeds and Bradford, re-vitalise the town centre and breathe new life into heritage buildings.

And Keighley has the potential, with a number of former mills ripe for conversion.

The document flags up the potential of Dalton Mills, in Dalton Lane, a Grade II listed building.

And it earmarks the old cotton mill in Gresley Road as an "early win" for redevelopment.

The report says it would "act as a catalyst for other surrounding developments such as Low Mill near Keighley railway station."

And it would help raise the value of properties in the area.

"This is a huge opportunity for Keighley. There is cert-ainly more evidence that this type of development is in demand," Coun Cooke added.

Andy Taylor, regeneration manager for the Airedale Partnership, which is spearheading the Masterplan, said a developer had already shown interest in Dalton Mills.

It had begun to draw up a feasibility study for converting it to mixed residential and retail use with a view to submitting a planning application to Bradford Council.

"More people are living in town centres. They spend money in local shops and overall help rejuvenate the area," he said.

Similar schemes were already taking place in Victoria Mills in Shipley and there were mill conversions going ahead in Bingley.

At present Keighley is the cheapest place in Airedale to buy a home with average house prices at £129,275.

It compares with Bingley, just four miles away, at £196,850, Ilkley, in the same electoral constituency, at £281,934 and Skipton at £215,493.