A YOUTH charity has said it hopes an under-threat outdoor activity centre run by Bradford Council can be saved.

Ingleborough Hall outdoor centre, in the Yorkshire Dales, is likely to be sold off as part of the authority's planned cuts of £40million over the next three years.

The proposals would see bookings transferred to the Council's Buckden House outdoor education centre at Buckden, which would also offer respite and short breaks at a "significantly reduced rate compared to the open market".

National charity UK Youth is a leader in the use of outdoor learning to transform the lives of young people and communities.

Sharon Mackintosh, UK Youth assistant director of outdoor learning, said: "We hope there is a way Ingleborough Hall outdoor centre can be saved.

"We believe youth work and outdoor learning are essential tools to help young people navigate the different challenges they face and set them up with skills for life.

"Young people are facing a complex and increasingly challenging world.

"There are pressures on their mental health, employment prospects and financial challenges.

"Participating in high-quality, inclusive outdoor learning can make a positive impact, provide opportunities to learn new skills and create memories that will last a lifetime." 

The plans will be discussed at a meeting of Bradford Council's Executive next Thursday.

A report to that meeting describes Ingleborough Hall, a former Victorian mansion in Clapham, as running at a deficit and having "high levels of backlog maintenance". 

It will be familiar to many people in Bradford as it has been used for many years for school residential trips. 

The Council report states: "Ingleborough Hall, along with Buckden House, is a traded service with a deficit that is currently funded from the council's core budget. Following a recent condition survey, high levels of backlog maintenance have been identified to bring Ingleborough Hall up to the required standards.

"Due to the scale of the works outlined, it is proposed that the building should be disposed of. Bookings would transition to Buckden House which would then run as a fully traded service. This would generate savings related to staffing.

"The retention of Buckden also enables provision of respite and short breaks at a significantly reduced rate compared to the open market. This will support cost avoidance of the growing financial pressure being experienced in the trust via the provision of short breaks and holiday respite provision."