£1 million help to transform village (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

£1 million help to transform village

An ambitious project which aims to transform a village has been given a £1 million cash boost, it was revealed today.

The money has been pledged for the radical plans to transform Cottingley by the board of Government-backed Futurebuilders England.

The promise was today hailed as a major step forward by the team behind the £4.8 million Cottingley Cornerstone Centre project.

Outline planning permission was given in January for the development at Littlelands, which has won the support of Prince Charles. It aims to provide a wide range of much-needed facilities for the community.

Plans include demolishing buildings and constructing a pre-school and nursery playgroup; elderly day care centre; community hall; GP surgery and health centre; respite accommodation for carers of young disabled people; youth rooms; a church; authority offices; a police contact point and houses.

The Reverend Canon Sue Pinnington, chairman of the Cottingley Cornerstone Centre project, said she was delighted the cash had been pledged.

She said: "I am very pleased as this is a major step forward for a project which now has local, regional and national backing.

"It is excellent news for everybody involved, especially as it follows granting of outline planning permission in January."

Mrs Pinnington has been at the forefront of a campaign to attract funding for the project, locally and nationally.

It is hoped that around £1 million will be raised by the public and the rest through grant applications and by selling the houses that would be built on the site.

The Telegraph & Argus revealed last December how Prince Charles had sent a personal undisclosed donation to help fund the ambitious plans.

Mrs Pinnington said: "As well as current fundraising plans from charitable trusts, which are in hand, we are hoping local businesses will rally round to support us and provide these exceptional community facilities for Cottingley and the Bingley and Bradford area."

Futurebuilders England is a new £125 million Government investment fund, backed by the Home Office and run by the voluntary sector, which aims to increase the role the voluntary and community sector plays in the delivery of public services.

It aims to invest in around 250 projects, with pledges ranging from £30,000 to millions of pounds.

The investment has still to be ratified by the trustees of Cottingley Cornerstone Centre, who will meet later this month.