An action plan is being drawn up to establish a scheme promoting healthy living in Shipley.

And if the move is backed by councillors, National Lottery funding will be sought to set up a Healthy Living Centre.

The scheme would involve promoting everything from a healthy diet to exercise and would particularly focus on Shipley East and Frizinghall.

The proposals follow surveys which have revealed the incidence of heart disease and lung cancer is higher in Shipley East than other areas of Bradford, with Windhill, West Royd and Bolton Woods having the worst records.

And at last month's Shipley Constituency Community Development Network Day, organisers say there was widespread interest in adopting a community-based approach to health issues.

Now members of the Shipley Constituency Area Panel, which meets on Tuesday, are being asked to allow officers to develop the proposals and set up a steering group to forward the project.

Area panel chairman Councillor Tony Miller (Lab, Shipley East) said: "It's an excellent idea especially for areas like Shipley East and Frizinghall where health problems are well documented.

"Shipley East has the largest number of high-rise and low-rise flats in Bradford as well as unemployment problems, and that breeds stress and is not conducive to bringing up families.

"Something like this in those communities can only have a positive affect on people's health and living conditions.''

Councillor Miller said the scheme was unlikely to involve a single building and was more likely to be a programme of health promotion-based activities.

Shipley East Regeneration Board chairman Councillor Phil Thornton (Lab, Shipley East) said: "It's an initiative which has the overwhelming support of board members.

"It's a wonderful idea and I think it would be extremely valuable because there's a desperate need for this sort of facility in Shipley.''

If the scheme is backed, the steering group - which would include representatives of the area panel, Shipley East Regeneration Board, the Frizinghall Partnership, other community and voluntary groups as well as local Primary Care Groups - would draw up the bid for submission by April 2000, make recommendations about activities and consult residents about their health needs and priorities.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.