A proposal to transform Airedale into Digidale, a centre of excellence for the digital manufacturing industry, has been abandoned by experts working on the region's masterplan.

Arup, the consultancy creating a vision for the future of the Aire Valley, has moved away from the Digidale image - central to the initial proposal which won them the tender to develop the plan.

After three months of research into the businesses that already operate in the Aire Valley, Arup has admitted Digidale is simply not realistic and a more balanced approach to the local economy is needed.

Project manager Neil Walmsley said: "The Digidale brand never existed in terms of the project.

"Digidale was an idea in our original proposal when we tendered for the work. Part of our submission was a suggestion that Airedale might be seen as Digidale."

He said Digidale had arisen from Bradford Council's 2020 Vision which included a concept of turning the Aire Valley into Silicon Valley, a centre of excellence for the digital communications industry.

"The research work we have been doing for the last three to four months concluded that the economy in Airedale needs to be much more balanced than that," Mr Walmsley said. "The concept of a digital industrial based economy isn't realistic."

One of the problems identified in creating Digidale was the limited research and development facilities in the Aire Valley. And Airedale graduates are moving away from the area because of limited employment opportunities.

Existing manufacturing and digital skills needed to be developed, and communications needed to be improved for businesses to compete in the world's market.

The original proposal intended to build on the success of existing digital technology manufacturers such as Pace and Filtronic, with the knock-on effect of improving transport links, housing and the infrastructure of the town centres.

Mr Walmsley stressed the vision was changing all the time as research was gathered about the area,

Arup is holding forums to hear residents' opinions. Workshops will be held tomorrow at Beckfoot School in Wagon Lane, Bingley and on Thursday, November 18, at Swire Smith Hall at Keighley College. Each will run from 7pm until 9pm.

An exhibition of the vision was held on Saturday in Keighley and will also be held at the Myrtle Walk shopping precinct in Bingley on Wednesday from 10.30am until 4.30pm and at the Asda supermarket in Shipley on Thursday between 11.30am and 7pm.