ALMOST 100 luxury retirement apartments and up to 40 new full-time jobs could come to Ben Rhydding as the former Clevedon House School site is developed.

A development company this week revealed the site could become 94 'assisted living' flats for over-55s, giving parish councillors and residents an early look at its proposals for the former independent school on Ben Rhydding Drive.

Developer Audley Court, which specialises in luxury retirement housing, is already promoting a mixture of one and two-bedroom apartments at 'Clevedon Hall' on the internet.

But plans are said to be still on the drawing board, and despite discussions with planners, no planning application has yet been submitted.

Ben Krauze of Raven Developments, the parent company of Audley Court, attended Ilkley Parish Council's plans committee on Monday.

Councillors heard that that the development could provide 38 to 40 new full-time jobs, as round-the-clock nursing care would be available for residents.

People living in the complex would take out a long lease on the property, and the developer said the care and facilities it offered would cater for their needs if they became ill or disabled in older age.

The original school building is expected to be included in the proposed development, but some new building is also expected. The plan would not require permission for a change of use at the site.

A new swimming pool is also expected to feature in the forthcoming plans, and a local community group could be allowed to use it, but the pool is not expected to be opened to the public.

Chairman of the parish plans committee Councillor Kate Brown said: "It's such a sensitive site within the green belt, and prominent within the landscape. They seem to have taken that on board. They've obviously spent a fair bit of time in Ilkley looking around at the different styles of architecture."

Residents with concerns about the proposed change of entrance to the site were at Monday's meeting, and there has also been concern that some of the development will be too close to neighbouring homes.

Coun Brown said there would also need to be parking space for residents - estimated at about one car per couple, or a car per resident living alone.

However, the developer is proposing a minibus service taking residents into town, which may also stop for residents elsewhere in Ben Rhydding.