Meeting to decide fate of ambitious centre plans

Members of Calderdale Council's Cabinet will discuss options for how the proposed centre should shape up and how it will be paid for on Monday.

They could also decide to submit a planning application for the new development.

Pennine Housing 2000, Calderdale's largest locally based registered social landlord, owning and managing over 11,500 properties and homes, has already been confirmed as the preferred developer, subject to a development agreement.

Architects have produced two options, for a single storey building with space for a new retail unit/post office, library and public service access point or a two storey building with space for a gym and exercise space, creating a "healthy living centre".

A report to Cabinet is recommending option 2 which could eventually house a GP surgery.

The proposed development, would cost in the region of 2.4m and some money has already been set aside.

But a further 1m-plus would need to be found for option 2 and more than 660,000 for option 1.

The report says external funding is already being sought.

The design options were produced following extensive consultation with residents between October 2008 and August 2009.

A series of meetings and events were held to find out what facilities people wanted to see provided.

Calderdale Council Cabinet member Coun Barry Collins, says Mixenden is in desperate need of a new centre with decent shops and leisure facilities.

"People in Mixenden have been putting up with the poor condition of shops and other facilities for years."

"Clearly, money is tight at the moment, but we must still continue to look at ways of working with our partners to try to ensure that projects like the one proposed for Mixenden, continue to move forward."