£6.5m grant for Keighley development that will create 80 jobs

The cash, which comes from the £33m Towns Fund that was awarded to Keighley by Government, will be used to build seven industrial units on a site on the junction of Dalton Lane and Bradford Road.

Overall the project is expected to cost £12m.

The grant will go to Modern Equipment & Foundry Engineering, the long term owner of the site, to create 3,810 sq m of space on the site.

A planning application for the work was approved in 2021, and the development is expected to be named Providence Park.

An artist's impression of the planned industrial development (Image: Bradford Council)

The scheme, which will be delivered by Rock Structural PMC, a private developer, is expected to create 80 jobs for the local area once the site is complete, as well as construction jobs during the build.

The scheme will provide renewable sources of energy that will both positively impact Net Zero targets and will also enable occupiers to benefit from competitively priced, relatively cheap sources of energy.

Tom Rock, Director, Rock Structural PMC, and grandson of Modern Equipment Managing Director, Peter Rock, said: “Our family has a long-established relationship with Keighley and we are delighted that this funding has allowed us to continue investing in the local area.

“The site and business has been family owned for over 50 years, previously providing services to the heavy engineering sector. This grant support will allow us to undertake a comprehensive redevelopment of the whole site to provide a modern industrial estate."

Ian Hayfield, Chair of Keighley Towns Fund, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring brownfield land back into use and also bring investment into Keighley town centre. I look forward to seeing it develop and see businesses sign up.”

An artist's impression of the planned industrial development (Image: Bradford Council)

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Transportation, Planning and Highways, also sits on the Towns Fund board. He said: “Keighley has a diverse and well-established manufacturing sector with a quarter of our local workforce employed by it and we know the sector can grow quicker with the correct investment and support. “This funding will create space for businesses to invest and expand and create jobs.”

Other Towns Fund projects planned for Keighley is the redevelopment of Cougar Stadium to create new community facilities and a much improved grandstand, and a new health and wellbeing centre off North Street.