It has been almost a decade in the planning but a retirement village at the former Storthes Hall Hospital site may be a step closer.

Storthes Hall Continuing Care Retirement Community - the team behind the plan - has applied to vary one of the conditions set by Kirklees Council.

When the planning committee approved the plan, a condition was set which meant the flats could not be disposed to anyone who didn’t meet set criteria.

One condition limited disposal of the residential units to anyone other than a principal resident aged over 60.

Now the applicant wants the condition amended so that ‘disposal’ is altered to ‘occupation’ which is likely to open up the units to the wider sales market.

Artists impression of proposed retirement community at Storthes Hall
Artists impression of proposed retirement community at Storthes Hall

David Storrie, town planning consultant for the developer, said: “We are going through the process of discharging the pre-commencement planning conditions attached to the planning permission with a view to the development starting within the next 18 months to two years.

“Work cannot commence on site until these conditions are discharged by the council.”

Click below to see Storthes Hall and more areas of Huddersfield as they looked in 1926.

In 2005 the team received outline consent for a continuing care retirement community of 300 units, a residential care home and community facilities on the sprawling Kirkburton site, which was one a mental hospital.

In its heyday it provided care for many thousands of patients from across the region.

In 2012 those behind the care plans returned to Kirklees Council asking for more time, which was granted.

The latest application is being consider by Kirklees planning officers.

Many other parts of the former hospital site are already in use.

The complex houses hundreds of lodgings for University of Huddersfield students and Shelley Football Club are behind an ambitious scheme which has transformed the site’s sporting facilities.