Work on 24 new homes in the centre of Keighley should be ready earlier than expected because extra cash has been found.

Low-rent housing projects are underway in the former Rob Roys nightclub on North Street and on Chapel Lane opposite Keighley bus depot.

The 'brown-field' schemes are being funded jointly by developers and Keighley's Single Regeneration Budget (SRB). Some of the funding has been brought forward into this financial year due to the success of other SRB regeneration projects.

Construction work is already well under way on an Urban Village of eight self-contained flats on the former site of 'Tony's Taxis' in Chapel Lane. Keighley Plumbers Merchants, which owns the land, has been given an £80,000 SRB grant to subsidise the cost of the new two-storey building. The firm has already worked with the SRB on Living Over The Shop schemes in nearby Temple Street and Russell Street.

Negotiations are currently in hand with the owners of the former Rob Roys building to begin work on turning it into 16 Living Over The Shop flats.

SRB bosses have offered £150,000 to provide ten single units and six double units, and the owners were this week studying contracts.

The project is expected to involve improvements to the rest of the building, including the shops below.

Homes in both developments will be offered at an affordable rent and Bradford council will be able to choose the tenants.

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