Shooting on Ilkley Moor will only take place on a few days a year, says the head of a partnership set to bring grouse shooting back to Ilkley Moor.

Edward Broment, the leading figure of the Bingley Moor Partnership and recently appointed chairman of national body The Moorland Association, has outlined the partnership's plans for helping to manage the landscape and run commercial grouse shoots.

The Bingley Moor Partnership already manages Ilkley Moor's neighbouring Bingley and Burley moors and runs grouse shoots there.

Now Bradford Council, which owns Ilkley Moor, has announced that the Partnership's bid has won the right to run grouse shooting on the landmark moor for ten years.

The contract means the Partnership will provide practical help with restoring the heather moorland and give Ilkley Moor a gamekeeper.

Mr Bromet said it could be two years before shoots take place on the moor, because of the low grouse population. And even when habitats are improved and boasting a healthy population of the birds, there will only be shoots on a few days of the year, between August 12 and later October.

"A requirement of the lease is that we have a fully dedicated gamekeeper on Ilkley Moor," said Mr Bromet. "That gamekeeper will be carrying out all sorts of functions. Part of that is pest and predator management to improve the stocks of all ground nesting birds."

In answer to critics of shooting, Mr Bromet said holding shoots is the incentive for putting the cash and resources into the moor - without it, Bradford Council would have no help with maintaining the landscape.