Planners have cleared the way for a £1.4 million clubhouse providing a new base for Ilkley Rugby Club and facilities for the wider community.

Ilkley Rugby Club is now calling on the community to help it complete its own fundraising towards the scheme, as officials wait for confirmation of more than £500,000 of funding from external bodies.

Bradford Council gave its approval for the demolition of the old stand and clubhouse at Stacks Field, Denton Road, and the building of the new community clubhouse.

The club, which is nearing its own fundraising target of £850,000, is confident the remainder of the money will be granted by Sport England, the Rugby Football Union, and Bradford Council, enabling work to start this spring.

As well as providing 21st-century facilities for the 600-strong club, which boasts several teams including junior and women’s sides, the clubhouse is expected to be a boost for other local organisations. Subject to external funding being granted, the club aims to have the new facilities complete by April 2011.

The club has less than £10,000 of its own £850,000 fundraising target to find and is inviting donations and further participation in its £100 ‘buy a brick’ scheme.

Ilkley RFC chairman Richard Scargill said: “A huge thank-you to all club members and corporate organisations who have already made generous donations into the development fund, and also a massive thank-you to those club members who have organised and taken part in specific fundraising events.

“The club’s financial support and commitment has been and continues to be absolutely fantastic.”

Bradford Council officers, acting under delegated powers, made the decision to grant planning approval.

Bradford Council assistant director of planning Julian Jackson said the development was considered ‘appropriate’ in the green belt and would improve the current appearance of the area, providing equivalent essential facilities to support outdoor sports use of the site.

The parish council’s planning committee gave its blessing to the scheme earlier this month, recommending it to Bradford Council as a “superb piece of design”.

The parish council has also had a hand in fundraising, ring-fencing £20,000 for the project.