A Cleckheaton derelict site could be landscaped thanks to a £20,000 community grant.

Spen Valley Civic Society has applied to the Spen Valley Area Committee for funding to restore the derelict Savoy site in the town centre - an eyesore which has needed attention for some 12 years. Two-thirds of the site is owned by Tesco and the other third by Kirklees Council.

Area committees normally have a budget of £10,000 per ward but this year, due to a financial surplus, Kirklees has given each ward another £10,000 for one-off projects. This means that for 2002/3 the Spen Valley Area Committee has a budget of £60,000.

Max Rathmell, chairman of the Civic Society, said they planned to take down fencing surrounding the site, cut down trees and fill a huge hole. "We want to cover the site with aggregate - crushed stone - but the Council may want it grassing which is likely to cost more and would need maintaining," he said.

He said benches and flowers could also be put on the site if the grant covered the cost. Volunteers would be needed to help clear the site of trees and rubbish.

He added: "We have to prepare a programme of work, but the Council may want to do things differently to us."

Donal O'Driscoll, of Liversedge, set up a website encouraging people to urge Tescos to landscape the site.

He said: "I have become involved in the Cleckheaton Folk Festival and understand a number of people have been in communication with Kath Pinnock (leader of Kirklees Council and a Cleckheaton councillor) about the idea of a bandstand for use in the run-up to the festival.

"I think it should be a town hall square with a paved area, benches and flower beds. I hope it will be a nice area to walk through and sit in."

Councillor Tim Crowther (Lab, Heck), chairman of the Spen Valley Area Committee, said the grant application would be discussed at the September meeting.

"The Civic Society wants the money to do the essential work," he said.

"Personally, I am quite happy with that, but there may be logistical problems and certain procedures which need to be followed.

"Whether we can give them the money and they can just go off and do the work, I don't know."

A spokesman for Tesco said: "The letter sent to the Civic Society said Tesco had no objections to the plan in principle, but we are still in discussions with Kirklees Council about the future use of that site. We have not formally agreed to it as yet."