RESIDENTS in Cleckheaton are to get their first glimpse next week of fresh plans for a retirement complex on a key site in the town which had long been earmarked for a supermarket.

The Albion Works and Northgate Mills site on Serpentine Road was previously owned by Tesco, and the firm had permission to extend its existing store onto the neighbouring land.

But after the supermarket giant abandoned its rebuild scheme in 2013, developer McCarthy and Stone acquired the site and is now asking for feedback on its proposals for the site.

A public exhibition is to be held next week in the town to give people the chance to have their say.

The scheme will be a joint venture between developer McCarthy and Stone, care home operator Darrington Health Care and Future Lease.

It will include a mix of residential accommodation including 43 retirement living apartments, an 83 bed care home facility, and seven affordable townhouses.

There will also be on-site car parking and landscaped gardens.

The local community is invited to view the plans for the site at a public exhibition being held on Wednesday, March 9, from 3pm to 7pm at Cleckheaton Methodist Church on Mortimer Street.

Steve Secker, regional managing director for McCarthy and Stone, said: “I would encourage all those who live in the surrounding area to attend the exhibition; this is their chance to influence how the finished site will look.

“We have spent time carefully researching the local area to ensure that our proposal will enhance Cleckheaton and provide much needed specialist accommodation for the older population.

“By including a care home facility and affordable housing the redeveloped site will have something to offer for the whole community.

“At the public exhibition members of our project team will be on hand to answer questions and listen to feedback.”

Local councillor Kath Pinnock welcomed proposals to develop the site, which has been disused for around five years with buildings on the site demolished in 2013.

Cllr Pinnock (Lib Dem, Cleckheaton) said: “In principle, getting the site developed is positive for the town. Anything that brings new people into the town using local services is going to be positive.

“In addition having one less site that is derelict in the town is also one less issue for us.”

She added that the site is bordered on two sides by housing, so housing and retirement homes would seem to be a better fit.

To find out more about the development visit mccarthyandstoneconsultation.co.uk/cleckheaton.