The young people of Burley-in-Wharfedale can finally look forward to some new facilities after a £277,000 project was given the go ahead.

Bradford Council approved funding for ambitious plans to convert the Queen's Hall into a youth and community centre fit for the 21st Century last week.

The finance needed for the scheme was agreed after the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups in the authority teamed up to support it.

The decision was hailed by district councillor Chris Greaves (Con, Rombalds) who said: "Now we need to decide on the practicalities of how to actually get the work done.

"Obviously I'd like it to start as soon as

possible. This is roughly the same amount of money which was raised by the sale of the old youth club building in Sun Lane.

"So this is just recycling money, really, and giving back to Burley what was taken from it, and we should end up with something even better than we had before.

"When this project is completed I think we'll have a 21st Century facility for the

village. There's been a gap of over a year without any youth provision at all and these plans, which are far-sighted, will hopefully provide what the youngsters want and mean that they use it.

"And that will bring knock-on benefits for the whole community, because having a youth club which is well used and modern facilities should help secure the future of the Queen's Hall and prevent it becoming a white elephant.

"I'd love to see at least the first phase up and running for September, in time for the new school term, that would be a good time for a new venture to start."

The first stage of the redevelopment will see a new youth club, complete with

computer room and coffee area, created in the

annexe near the historic hall's front

entrance.

The second phase will benefit all of the sports, drama and community groups which already use the building, by refurbishing the main hall and installing new changing

rooms.

Burley Community Council chairman Bruce Speed and Burley Youth Forum chairman and Ilkley Parish Councillor Bob Jones will meet with Council officers tomorrow to decide on how to get things started.

Mr Speed said: "This is excellent news and we are all very pleased about it. Chris Greaves requires a big vote of thanks for the efforts he put in to get his party to support it, as does Bob Jones for doing the same thing with his party, the Liberal Democrats.

" Between the two they got sufficient votes together to get it through. The Youth Forum has been steering this project all along and rightfully so, but we should also emphasise the importance this has for the wider village community.

"The Queen's Hall is a valuable community resource and has been for a long time, but it has not had the necessary funds spent on it in recent years. This project will make much needed improvements to the toilets and to the kitchen facilities which will be to the benefit of everyone who uses it.

"The money doesn't come in until April but the plans now need to be put into detail and the departments responsible for spending

this money have to arrange contracts and so on."

Around £200,000 of extra funding will have to be obtained before the final, third stage of the redevelopment can be carried out. That would see the main entrance of the hall converted into a kitchen, buffet and caf facility and a new, modern looking glass front installed in the area behind the stone memorial crosses.