Plans for a new £1 million community centre have received a boost after they were backed at a public meeting.

The doors of Baildon Link were thrown open to residents after its management committee posted invitations to 1,000 local households.

Residents supported the plans to build the centre on a site close to the existing Link in Cliffe Avenue and identified a number of services they want to see expanded.

The current building has fallen into disrepair and the committee's vision for a replacement was handed a boost when it secured an initial £24,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund last month.

There is scope for the new Link to be 20 per cent larger and residents said they would like to see greater provisions for elderly day care, debt counselling and drop-in sessions.

Public support was also thrown behind a small building fund set up by the management committee to cover any unforeseen costs as the project develops. Community activities are planned to raise the additional funds.

Chairman of the committee, Mervyn Flecknoe, said the new centre would address a shortage of youth initiatives in Baildon.

He said: "The major concern was about working with young people. There used to be the Baildon Action for Youth Project, which operated from a temporary building in Ian Clough car park, but over the years they found they couldn't get people to staff it and funding was too small and restrictive.

"We have been advertising for a youth worker to open a weekend session since April and we have had one applicant who later withdrew."

He said he hoped a striking design for the new centre would re-ignite the development of groups and facilities to cater for young people.

"The hope is this building will be a focus for the community, with a design that is environmentally friendly," he said.

The design is inspired by the PassivHaus principles which have become popular in the Germany construction industry.

Among energy-saving features earmarked for the Baildon centre are solar panels to heat the water and generate electricity, and a sedum roof, to reduce water run-off and to store summer heat to insulate the building during winter.

Architects are set to be appointed and the committee needs to secure planning permission before it submits a bid for a further £500,000 Lottery grant. Proposals to secure £500,000 from Bradford Council will be considered on February 8.