AN ambitious £½m plan to revamp “grotty” changing rooms at a Huddersfield site has been unveiled.

The proposal is for a community group to take over and run the dilapidated facilities at Reinwood recreation ground.

But those behind the scheme also hope to create a centre than can be used seven days a week and for many uses other than sport.

They envisage a centre which could house playgroups, social clubs and a community cafe.

Now all that’s needed is the funding, but a start has been made.

Kirklees Council’s parks and landscape section have chipped in £20,000 and a further £20,000 was approved last night by the Huddersfield Town and Valley Committee.

It is hoped the scheme itself can then be taken on by the ‘Build’ construction and development project run by Kirklees Council.

It has the skills for the physical work but can also tap into grants for community projects.

The changing rooms at Reinwood Recreation Ground at New Hey Road in Oakes have been in a run-down state for years.

They are used on Saturdays and Sundays by teams using the adjoining two soccer pitches, but are subject to vandalism.

A plan to utilise £100,000 donated by the Salvation Army, who built a new centre on the adjoining land, never came to fruition.

Complex legal arrangements meant that because the money was not the result of a direct land sale, it could not be directed into a particular fund for the changing rooms and would have to be utilised as general funding by the council.

Lindley councillor Christine Stanfield, who has previously described the place as “a slum” is delighted with the new plans.

“This is my big project of the moment and it is very exciting.

“The changing rooms are in a shocking state, but we want something that can be used by the whole community every day and not just on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.

“We are working with Build and they are confident that there is funding available for a community project.

“We have a steering group of six or eight people involved, including people with sound business backgrounds and I can see this coming off.

“We could have a great facility that could allow all sorts of use.”