It’s very difficult to be anything but positive about the pioneering plans for a clean energy complex in Keighley.

The potential benefits it would bring to the town far outweigh any possible negatives. It will be the biggest development, in the living memory of many people, that Keighley has seen.

And we should be proud our town has been chosen to be at the forefront of this ‘green’ technology. No-one needs to be reminded about the present fragility of the economy and the employment market. So to have about £120 million of investment being pumped into the town, with almost 600 jobs, is just the sort of shot in the arm needed to boost confidence in Keighley.

Hopefully, this will also bring extra spending into the local economy, and help place the town on the map with other companies seeking to expand their horizons. The scheme also ticks the boxes in terms of environmental credentials. Several ambitious projects have been mooted in the past for Keighley but never reached fruition, and there will be sceptics who may wonder if this will be another to add to the list. But a huge amount of detailed preparation has been done, the plans are on the verge of being submitted to the local authority and the team behind the scheme is ready to roll.

Yes, there is still work to be done, but there is every reason for confidence this vision will become reality.