A CAR park in Bingley could re-open on Government-owned land beside the town's defunct magistrates' court, depending on how swiftly the building is sold.

And the town's leaders have welcomed the decision by site-owners the Department for Justice to ask interested parties to apply for temporary permission to run the car park, which could offer some 24 new spaces beside Bradford Road.

The Conservative's prospective parliamentary candidate for Shipley, Philip Davies, has received a letter from the former Under Secretary for Justice Shailesh Vara about the Bingley site which states officials have been asked to consider a short term licence with the possibility immediate termination.

"This would need to be issued to a local business/car park operator or the local authority who would be responsible for set up and running costs, as well as managing, maintaining and returning it at the end of the licence," Mr Vara wrote.

Issues regarding the physical separation of the magistrates' court and the police station have now been resolved and Mr Vara has said the Department for Justice hoped for a swift sale.

Mr Davies has also received a letter from Bradford Council confirming it is in talks with the Department for Justice, although it intends to wait to see if a quick sale is realised.

Interim chief executive Suzan Hemingway wrote: "We have now approached the Regional Asset Manager for the Ministry of Justice, who advises they are confident the building and car park will now be disposed of within the next two to three months.

"Consequently, and acknowledging the availability of parking in Bingley can presently accommodate demand, I would not propose to pursue this matter further.

"However, if the sale does not go through and the car park becomes available for a longer period of time, we will review further."

Mr Davies said while he hoped the building would be sold soon, he was pleased the Council might act if that failed to happen.

"We need to do everything possible to help regenerate Bingley and bring in more footfall, which is always helped by good parking," he said.

Bingley Chamber of Trade spokesman Howard Martin said using space at the magistrates' court was good idea. "Any additional car parking is always welcome," he said.

Ward Councillor David Heseltine said: "Easy parking is always an encouragement to people to come into town and spend a pound or two, so anything that gets people in is a good thing.

"We don't have a big problem with parking, although we have temporarily lost some parking on the Aldi site as they develop it."

* The other parliamentary candidates for Shipley are: Steve Clapcote (Lab); Darren Hill (Yorkshire First); Waqas Khan (Ukip); Andrew Martin (Lib Dem) and Kevin Warnes (Green).