AN ambitious youth project is hoping to turn a former register office into a community facility.

Guiseley Youth Project, which is currently based in a temporary building at The Green, next to Aireborough Leisure Centre, has ambitions of setting up a new base which could benefit the whole community.

The project has already been in talks with councillors, Aireborough MP Paul Truswell and Leeds City Council officers over a suggestion of taking on the old register office on Oxford Road, or building a new youth centre.

It is awaiting a decision by Aireborough Community Invol-vement Team on a £15,000 grant application - although a new building would cost much more.

Chairman of Guiseley Youth Project, John Moorhouse, said: "Our current small premises are holding us back. We can't accommodate the demand of the kids."

The present centre can cater for around 30 young people each evening, although Mr Moorhouse said even this is difficult.

Young people visit the centre at The Green several nights a week, to enjoy activities including pool, computer games, music and a safe place to meet friends.

The centre is also used as a base for youth workers, who can then go out into the community of Aireborough, offering advice to young people on the streets, and work with other organisations and schools.

Mr Moorhouse said if Guiseley Youth Project was allowed to take on the former Register Office, it would like to open it up to other community organisations, and could look into letting out offices.

He believes a grant of just £15,000 could get the project up and running in the building.

The council-owned Register's Office, which is currently unoccupied, was converted into office units some years ago.

However, the other option would be to create a purpose-built centre in Guiseley. He said the group would need more funding to do this.

"This is our eighth year, and the building has been up for seven years. What we don't want to do is close down on promises of the future," said Mr Moorhouse.

MP Paul Truswell said he will attend a meeting about the Youth Project tomorrow, with Airebor-ough councillors and Coun Tom Murray, executive board member for lifelong learning.

He said: "The project is an excellent example of local people working in partnership with the council to provide a much-needed facility. But the project has now outgrown its deteriorating premises, and the temporary planning permission for the site is due to expire."

A Leeds City Council spokesman said their current range of options is much wider than just the use of the old Oxford Road Register Office.