A VILLAGE club has struck a deal with a building company to get a new home.

In return for selling part of its land along Wakefield Road to Fenay Bridge housebuilders P and P Wilkinson, Lepton Liberal Club will get a purpose-built base to replace its Victorian headquarters by next summer

Club steward and secretary Andrew Doran said astronomical repair estimates had prompted the deal.

Plans for the new club and 10 houses were submitted to Kirklees Council this week.

The club was founded in 1920. The fading mansion had been a convalescent home for First World War soldiers. Before that it belonged to a mill-owning family.

"The building hasn't been kept up to scratch," said Mr Doran. "It's going to cost £100,000 to get it something like we'd want.

"It needs re-roofing and we have got an upstairs we can't use," he added.

"It's down to lack of funds and neglect over the years, really.

"We contacted P and P Wilkinson and they agreed to pull the club down and rebuild it - and it costs us nothing. In exchange, they get the adjoining land to build houses on."

Land earmarked for the 10 properties is now used as the club car park.

"We are hoping to start building in January and it should be ready by May," said Mr Doran.

"A new club will attract new members. We are trying to renew the place."

The existing 211 members will meet in temporary accommodation during the work.

They backed the plans for the land sale during a vote at their annual meeting.

The new, stone-built building will be of a similar size to the existing club.

Internal plans have yet to be finalised by the architects, but the upper floor will comprise the steward's living quarters.

New homes in the grounds would be made up of six town houses and two sets of semi-detached houses.