The derelict site of a former school is set to be transformed into a skate area and playground for a housing estate with no outdoor play facilities.

The former Royds primary school, which lies at the heart of Heckmondwike's Dale Lane estate, has been earmarked for development by Kirklees Council at the request of a mother-of-three.

And campaigners hope the facility will be inexpensive because the school's old playground still exists to build on.

Sheila Wilde, of Cannon Grove, a member of the Dale Lane Tenants' and Residents' Association, said: "The school is ideal. It's in the middle of the estate and it's a safe place for children.

"All the kids skate around here. Mine are aged from six to 16 and they all do it - it's more popular than football.

"At the moment they've got nowhere safe and they gather on streets at the entrance to the estate."

The plan has won the support of the chairman of Kirklees Council's Cultural and Leisure Services Committee Councillor Tim Crowther (Heckmondwike, Labour), who said he would press to get the skate area built by the end of next spring.

The area would include football posts beside the skate area and a small children's playground.

He said: "Dale Lane has suffered from not being in a grant qualifying area and there's nothing for kids despite there being 500 houses.

"The school site is ideal because the playground is there to be built on.

"This is at the very early stages but it will happen because it matches a lot of the Council's objectives to provide facilities for young people."

Royds school was closed four years ago during a re-organisation of schools in the area.

Since the school buildings were demolished the site has remained undeveloped and under the control of Kirklees.

The White Rose Pot Hole Club is to take control of part of the former school's playing fields from Kirklees. The club has agreed to maintain the field in return for being allowed to use its trees for abseiling.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.