SALTAIRE residents have had their first look at future plans for the World Heritage Site which could include a new hotel and a major arts centre in the heart of the village in a bid to boost tourism.

Bradford Council hosted a public consultation event at the Caroline Street Social Club yesterday at which it unveiled a six point plan for improving local life and raising Saltaire's international profile.

The plan contains dozens of schemes and ideas, which are classed as on-going, short or medium term or "aspirational".

And high on the list of "aspirational" is the suggestion that at sometime between 2030 and 2045 a prestigious arts centre with an estimated cost of £30 million could be built on land now occupied by the social club where the consultation was being held.

The Consultation Draft Delivery Plan suggests the Council: "Explores the feasibility of a major new community arts building development on the north east side of Caroline Street."

Another fresh idea pencilled in for the 2016/17 financial year is a feasibility study into the building of a new hotel specifically for Saltaire tourists.

Other "aspirational" proposals include opening an historic Saltaire house up to the public as a mini-museum, creating some working textile machinery in the site to bring alive that aspect of the area's heritage and restoring the landmark pedestrian and cycle bridge linking Victoria Road to the Sustrans route when necessary.

Other ideas include a new and simple brochure for incoming householders on the conservation rules regarding physical improvements and repairs to their properties.

Traffic issues are tackled with a range of proposals short term including the possibility of electric vehicle charging points, a community car club and also a bicycle hire scheme within the village and its buffer zone.

Possible removal of trees in Victoria Road, which has attracted much criticism, is now being dealt with as a separate matter and will go before Bradford Council's regeneration and scrutiny committee in October.

World Heritage Site Officer Helen Thornton said the idea of a designated Saltaire hotel was particularly interesting.

"There is documentary evidence that Titus Salt considered building a hotel in Saltaire himself and although there are B&Bs in Saltaire and hotels nearby it will be interesting to find out what people think of the idea and if it would be good for tourism," she said.

Costumed character and former Bradford tourism officer Maria Glot guides sightseers around the village on her "Salt's Walks" and said she was concerned that standards were slipping in terms of preserving and improving its look.

"It takes time, but things should be replaced appropriately," she said.

"We have had some lovely lampposts installed, but recently they've put in some rotten ones for no reason.

"Another thing is the whole village is cable-enabled so why are there satellite dishes springing up on roofs which are then allowed to stay up?"

Saltaire Village Society chairman Vanessa Pilny said it was a good thing to engage as many residents in the debate as possible.

"A museum created inside a typical house would be a nice thing to have - and I'm all for getting electric car chargers installed," she added.

Councillor Kevin Warnes (Green, Shipley) said he and Greens two other Shipley councillors welcomed the fact that Saltaire was seen as "a jewel in Bradford's crown".

"We hope the consultation will be open and the views of local people will be paramount," Cllr Warnes said.

"There are a lot exciting ideas in this draft plan and it's a really great time to be involved with all things in Saltaire - there's such a great atmosphere at the moment with the festival just about to start.

"The key thing is for as many residents as possible to really get involved in Saltaire's future."