A SYMBOLIC part of Guiseley's industrial past is to be given a new home in the town so it can be admired by future generations .

The large clock from the office building of the former Crompton Parkinson factory, off Netherfield Road, is now the only part of the old Brook Crompton and Crompton Parkinson works site left standing.

Originally fixed on top of a tower, the timepiece has been carefully taken down and is currently sitting on iron girders.

Developer St Modwen Properties began clearing the 15 acre plot after obtaining outline permission to build 200 homes and 25,000 sq ft of offices / industrial workshops.

But it agreed to a request by ward councillors and Aireborough Civic Society to keep the 1920s clock.

Councillor Graham Latty (Con, Guiseley and Rawdon) said: "The clock has been standing on the site in solitary glory with scaffolding around it.

"As long as the office block's been there the clock has been there, so we're talking a lot of years.

"The developer has agreed to give it to the ward, for the people of Guiseley, and I'm arranging for it to be moved to the Henshaw City Services depot, on Green Lane, Yeadon for safekeeping and then we'll have to decide what to do.

"A lot of people thought there were bits of the factory worth preserving but the clock was the one real feature and we said whatever else you do please keep that', which they were happy to do.

"One idea I've had is that if we succeed in getting a public car park on this site the clock would make a wonderful centrepiece for that, yards from where it used to be.

"And if it could be made to work again it would be a great timepiece for the people parking there. It's a nice piece of architecture in its own right."

Aireborough Civic Society Chairman Peter Middleton said: "We're very pleased because we are concerned about the loss of the industrial heritage of Guiseley through over development.

"We'll be working with councillors to find a suitable site to position the clock that will be on view to everybody in Guiseley.

"It's quite a large, high clock so it will have to be somewhere with plenty of space around it. There are a number of possible sites we're looking at.

"There's a possibility it could be restored but with that it's a case of finding the funding Otley councillors ended up with a large bill when they restored the Jubilee Clock."