A COMMUNITY association has won planning permission to build a new sports hall at an Ilkley youth centre.

Ilkley Youth and Community Association (IYCA) has welcomed the decision of Bradford Council to grant planning permission for the new sports facilities at The Warehouse in Little Lane.

IYCA is tasked with providing services for disadvantaged young people in the Ilkley area in partnership with Bradford Council's youth service.

The Association has a 21-year lease on The Warehouse, and is a charity of some longevity.

Chairman, Councillor Martin Smith, said: "We feel The Warehouse, together with the children’s centre, is an important project for the wellbeing of our young and youth, hence the continuation of the youth service in Ilkley is essential.

"The proposal is a simple yet cleanly-designed sports hall, meeting the surrounding industrial area designs together with the refurbished youth club and the adjacent, recently-built children’s centre."

Cllr Smith says the sports hall will encourage a variety of other users, such as sports clubs, junior football training, gymnastics, boxing, table tennis, handball and arts groups, such as dance and youth theatre.

He believes the wider community could also participate in activities to improve general fitness and health.

Cllr Smith added: "The youth club continues to grow, with between 25 and 40 young adults attending on a regular basis.

"From this, it is apparent the current outside play area, during winter, is not usable and that enclosing this in an insulated, weather-proof building is desirable not only to give the club winter activities facilities, but also opportunities to encourage other users to use the premises, for a fee, when not in use by the club."

IYCA has been pursuing funding via grants for the new hall, but is also inviting the local community to join forces.

Cllr Smith said: "This facility would provide the missing link in the strategic requirements of the Wharfe Valley and would fit with the national Olympic Legacy plans, the Government’s priority age group for sport (14 to 25 year olds) and the Strategy for Sport and Physical Activity in the Bradford district for 2011 to 2015."

He said expressions of interest in taking rental space and financial grant support would be helpful in the bidding process.

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