A multi-million pound project which aims to give a village a new heart looks set to be given the royal seal of approval.

Architects are drawing up final plans for the Cottingley Cornerstone Centre which will help regenerate the village by providing state-of-the-art community facilities.

Bradford Council has agreed to transfer its land at the Littlelands site to the Cottingley Cornerstone Centre Company, established in January.

And members of the company, including its chairman the Reverend Sue Pinnington, vicar of St Michael and All Angels church, have been invited to meet and discuss the plans with Prince Charles, who is a keen supporter of the £8.5 million project.

The Telegraph & Argus reported how the Prince of Wales praised the project in a special message to the community in February last year.

The Prince had been greeted by a huge crowd when he visited Cottingley in 2002 to mark the rededication of the war memorial which was restored after being vandalised.

Miss Pinnington said: "The Prince of Wales has been keeping in very close touch with all the business connected to the project.

"The Prince has said he would like myself and other people closely involved to go down to London to view the plans and discuss the designs and various other things with us."

The centre is thought to be the first community-led project of its type in England and has been designed using ideas and plans from residents.

It provide a large multi-use hall, meeting rooms, a computer suite, nursery and pre-school centre, a police contact point, youth and elderly day care facilities and a respite unit for disabled children and young people on the site of the church and Littlelands Resource Centre.

Around 50 homes will also be built and a new £375,000 church building will be constructed on the site after the original church, built in 1968, was razed to the ground after being condemned as a dangerous building last July.

Miss Pinnington said the total cost included the cost of housing and accommodation which would be paid for by other groups.

"We will be going out to external funders and selling off the land for housing," she said. "The housing element is the main thing that will raise the revenue.

"We will be looking to raise about £1 million of the total ourselves through fundraising ventures."

She praised residents in the village for supporting the scheme.

"Cottingley is full of really good people who take great care of their property but we have had problems with vandalism and anti-social behaviour," she said.

"But we feel by putting a new heart into the centre of Cottingley a lot of these issues will be tackled by having a proper youth facility."

Cottingley's GP surgery will transfer to the site and Bradford Council will open a 24-hour social service emergency response team based at the centre. If the plans are passed, building work would begin in early 2005.

l Two events are being held to raise money for the project in Cottingley.

Residents are being urged to open their gardens for the public to enjoy the plants and flowers.

The event is being held on July 18 and anyone who wants to register should contact Sue Butler on (01274) 599050.

A car treasure hunt is taking place in the village on May 16 and there will be prizes for the winners. For further information telephone the Reverend Sue Pinnington on (01274) 562278.