A FORMER mill owner's house which is home to elderly people is to be offered for sale to be turned into flats.

Fieldhouse, part of a sheltered housing complex in Slaithwaite, has been declared unsuitable for its elderly residents.

Kirklees housing chiefs have decided that Fieldhouse should be sold and converted into five flats.

The Edwardian property has been home to elderly people since it was bought in 1968 and split into 12 flats.

There are 12 flats and bungalows next door to the house.

These will be unaffected and the residents will stay as council tenants.

In a statement Kirklees said: "Due to topography and the design of the house it is totally unsuitable for use as a modern sheltered housing complex.

"Even by spending what equates to £53,000 per unit on the property to bring it up to modern standards it would still be a very difficult property to access."

The house cannot be demolished as it is on Green Belt land.

The council therefore decided to move the residents out and sell the house.

Most of the residents have been moved out.

Two have still to be re-housed.

The house will be sold with outline planning permission for the flat conversion.

Kirklees hopes to put the large amount of cash raised from the sale towards housing and regeneration schemes in the Slaithwaite area.