HOPES for a "flagship" extra care complex in Settle have been sunk after a bid for funding to the Department of Health failed.

The complex, which had been earmarked to replace Lower Greenfoot elderly person's home in Settle, would have provided accommodation for up to 82 people. At present there are just 32 living in the now out-dated premises.

In addition there was a proposal to built at least six affordable homes for local residents, subject to planning permission.

The scheme had been in the pipeline for many months and had been enthusiastically portrayed by North Yorkshire County Council's social services directorate area manager, Cath Mawdsley-Stowe, as an "attainable vision for the future and an exciting opportunity for the community of Settle".

The initial plans put forward involved building a new complex on the nearby car park at Lower Greenfoot, which is owned by Craven District Council.

The new site would provide 28 one bed, two person flats, four two bed, three person flats and seven one bed, two person EMI (elderly mentally infirm) flats.

The old home would then be demolished, the residents moved to the new complex and a new car park was to be built on the old site, along with the affordable houses.

This week Craven District Council, which had approved the principle of the new development, expressed disappointment that the plans were again "on hold" after North Yorkshire County Council's social services department failed in a funding bid for the development from the Department of Health.

Mrs Mawdsley-Stowe said social services hoped to find out in the next few weeks what the bid had failed on. But she vowed her team would continue.

"We will keep turning up like a bad penny until we get funding for this close care complex," she said.

She added that although a second bid could not be made to the Department of Health until next year, they were going to look at other options for funding in the meantime.