PLANS to build a retirement village on the site of the former Storthes Hall psychiatric hospital look set for approval.

Storthes Hall Continuing Care Retirement Community - a company set up by a mystery developer to deal with the application - wants to put 300 bungalows on the l site off Storthes Hall Lane, Kirkburton.

There will also be a residential care home in the former hospital's clock tower.

Elderly people would buy the bungalows and be able to have support from care home staff.

Or they could move into the residential section if their needs increased.

People wanting to move would have to sell their bungalow back to Storthes Hall CCRC.

An application for outline permission to develop the site was being considered by Kirklees Council's Heavy Woollen Planning Sub-Committee today.

Council officials have advised the sub-committee to recommend approval when it refers the plans to its parent committee, Planning and Highways, for further consideration.

Storthes Hall CCRC submitted the application in April.

The plans also include community facilities, such as restaurants, shops and a gym.

But the exact details of these will be revealed in a further detailed application if the current application is approved.

David Storrie, of Dewsbury agents David Storrie Associates, is handling the application.

He said: "There are many hurdles with this project.

"We have had to notify the owners, which is complex because the site has a long history.

"There is no one owner, but eventually there will be.

"We see this as a flagship development for Kirklees.

"It is a relatively new concept and we have received a good degree of support for it, considering the objections which have been made to previous plans for the site."

Seventeen letters of support were sent to the council.

But five letters of objection have also been received.

Some people living nearby felt the development was too big.

Others felt the site was prone to flooding and some felt the development would create too much traffic on the surrounding country roads.

Kirklees Environmental Health Service is worried that nearby sports pitches will cause noise and light intrusion for the residents.

Kirklees Social Services support the plan, providing there is affordable housing and support is given to doctors who will have extra elderly patients.

Kirkburton Parish Council is worried about the size of the scheme and want a guarantee of community facilities.

However, Kirklees Highways officials have assessed access to the site and are confident the development will not cause congestion on Storthes Hall Lane.

* The Storthes Hall asylum opened in 1904.

* It closed in 1991.

* In 1995 Huddersfield University bought the site, with plans to create a student village. It then tried to use the excess land for luxury homes - but a planning application failed.

* In 2000, an application for housing development, shops, sports facilities and a hotel was refused permission.

* In 2003 the university sold its student accommodation, but kept nearby sports fields, which are home to a number of cricket and football teams.

* In April this year Storthes Hall CCRC submitted its plans for the site.