A community group is to take control of a former centre for elderly people after growing too big for its own building.

Fieldhead Community Association is waiting to hear if a bid for European funding has been successful after striking a deal with Kirklees Council to take on a little-used pensioners' centre in Lowood Lane at the heart of the Fieldhead housing estate in Birstall.

The group hopes to get another £90,000 from Europe to refurbish the new premises which it has bought with National Lottery money.

Association member Janet Ramsden said: "We will be able to greatly extend our activities for the community if everything goes to plan.

"Our old building is in a terrible state. The new place is twice the size so we will be able to offer much more."

Activities being run for the pensioners at the Lowood Lane centre will continue when the association takes control.

But sessions for the whole community will be organised - and a range of educational courses are being considered.

Association members also hope that by moving to the centre of the estate any sessions for children and young people will prove more popular.

Steve Duncan, manager of the association's existing centre in Branwell Avenue, said a parade of shops near the new two-storey building was being used as a meeting place by bored youngsters and petty vandalism and harassment had become a problem.

He said: "A disused shop has been broken into and eggs and stones have been thrown at flats above the parade.

"By having more space we will be able to provide more things for young people and hopefully that will go some way to solving the problem."

The association plans to move into the new centre by September.

lPolice met Fieldhead estate residents at an open meeting to discuss policing and housing issues on the estate.

Inspector Tim Dale, of Dewsbury Police, told the meeting the 670-home estate had suffered seven burglaries so far this year.

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