YOUNGSTERS in Ilkley could soon take advantage of top sports coaching - if a Shipley businessman has his way.

Brendan Larkin has applied for planning permission to build a sports youth academy on land at Dansk Way near Leeds Road, Ilkley.

If planning permission is granted for the one-storey building it will contain four separate courts which would convert to a large sports hall in the middle.

Mr Larkin said the philosophy behind the academy was to give children between the ages of five and 13 the chance to get involved in organised sport. "What we have called it is fun in an organised manner," said Mr Larkin.

The academy will be run by Mr Larkin's son, Corydon, who is a fully-qualified and experienced sports manager. If planning permission is granted, it is expect around 12 people will be employed full-time and part-time at the centre.

"It will be re-thinking the whole sports philosophy. We want it to be fun but we want it to be more than a leisure centre provides," Mr Larkin said.

As well as traditional sports such as soccer, the centre will also provide opportunities for other activities such as archery, and fencing.

Parish council planning committee member Roy Fox expressed support for any expansion in sporting facilities for the town.

"Various people have been talking about it for a few years. There is a need to provide extra sporting facilities," said Coun Fox.

Coun Fox has been supporting the idea of using private money to create a leisure centre at the swimming pool complex on Denton Road.

"We have a wealth of sporting talent in the area and the more sporting facilities we have in the town the better," Coun Fox said.

He said that a survey conducted in Ilkley discovered a large demand from the town's youngsters for extra sporting opportunity, particularly indoor courts and sports halls.

Ilkley planning officer Martyn Burke said the land at Dansk Way was designated as employment land. But the sports centre, as a worthy project, could be viewed as a special case as well as providing jobs of its own.

A sports centre building could also be adapted for other employment uses if the business later closed down or moved elsewhere.

The sports academy plan will be discussed by Ilkley's parish plans committee on Tuesday. If there are no serious objections, outline permission could be granted by Bradford planning officers in a few weeks time.

If planning bosses do receive serious objections, the proposals will have to go before the Keighley area planning committee in May.

A recent idea was to extend sports facilities at Ilkley's Grammar School for local youngsters but there would be funding problems.

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