A HOUSE in Brighouse could be sold as Calderdale Council looks to divest itself of property it judges it may not need and achieve other aims in the process.

On Monday the council’s Cabinet will be asked to make two decisions which if approval is given will save or make the council some money while supporting other policy goals in the process, including the authority being more commercially minded.

They will be asked to dispose of a site to Connect Housing – a piece of land and a former caretaker's bungalow known as St Andrews at Brighouse – which will allow the social housing group to build seven new affordable homes.

And they are asked to consider transferring Goldfields Recreation Ground and changing rooms at Greetland over to GOLDS on a leasehold basis.

Former Rastrick School building is put up for sale

The briefing papers to Cabinet members say if they approve the Brighouse land sale it will bring a capital receipt of £180,000 for the council for the 0.18 hectare site, subject to Secretary of State consent for the deal.

Although this is less than the site might reach on the open market – it has been independently valued at £300,000 – the price is significantly higher than the standard £5,000 per plot the council generally works with and meets a policy aim of seeing new affordable homes, of which there is a shortage, built in the borough.

Councillors have also been told the bungalow has been broken into, incurring costs, and the empty property on the land would also be subject to double the level of Council Tax – £2,300 – from 2020-21 onwards.

In the case of the playing field, car park and changing rooms at Greetland, an estimated £140,000 cost for repairs has been estimated by GOLDS, which is being set up as an organisation, eventually envisaging it will be a Community Interest Company acting as the over-arching development organisation for existing sports clubs Greetland Football Club and Elland Rugby League Club, which will be members.

Cabinet members have been told it is the group’s aim to work with the council, the community and all relevant stakeholders to achieve the common goal of improving the ground and ultimately increase the numbers taking part in sport which also brings health benefits.

Greetland Primary School will also be able to continue using the playing fields, while, amid a four-phase plan by the group, they would aim to expand its offer, including creating a cycle path, increasing women, children and veterans’ participation in sport, increase charity events for the wider community and potentially host a running club.

The group is well placed to obtain grant funding to carry out the proposed work, on a site which costs the council a net £22,500 a year, councillors are told.

The briefing paper adds: “The group appear to have taken a measured approach to their Business Plan, using professional consultants to advise on areas where they do not have expertise.”

A 125-year lease to GOLDS is the recommended term to give the group sufficient tenure for external funding bodies.

Cabinet meets at Halifax Town Hall from 6pm on Monday, February 10.