Businesses are booming in Bingley following the opening of the relief road, a new report claims.

But Shipley is not doing so well, councillors have heard.

A report by Bingley town centre manager David Dinsey says the relief road has been a key to unlocking important regeneration efforts in the town.

But the "thorn in the side" continues to be the Myrtle Walk shopping precinct which was sold in early 2004.

Despite promises that the site would be redeveloped a planning application has yet to be submitted and, speaking at a meeting of Shipley Area Committee, Mr Dinsey said he was struggling to fill the vacant units in the shopping centre.

He said: "In the last four weeks we have had four new retailers coming into the town, which has reduced the charity shop ratio."

A number of developers had shown interest in the town and had submitted planning applications for various sites but this had had a knock-on effect on first-time buyers struggling to find affordable property in Bingley.

Mr Dinsey said the Airedale masterplan - a blueprint for the economic regeneration of the Aire Valley - had a "few surprises" in store for Bingley.

The masterplan is expected to be launched to the public on March 15.

While Bingley is booming, Shipley is in danger of slipping behind, the area committee heard. Former town centre manager Bob Parker, who is now Bradford city centre manager, said: "We have lost a lot of shops; some we wanted to lose but the quality ones aren't coming in yet. The sort of money we ploughed into the town last year won't be available this year.

"The great hope at the moment is the Airedale masterplan. We don't think it's going to have a huge impact on the town centre, certainly for a number of years, but we are hoping it will attract the money we need. The town's looking shabby. We need to do something about it now. We need to seriously look at where we are going in the future."

Councillor Tony Miller (Lab, Windhill and Wrose) said: "We need to take stock of this and do everything we can before we lose it altogether as the thriving market town it should be."