A SCHEME which would have seen an old workshop in Skipton's conservation area replaced with a large modern house has been turned down.

The large disused workshop, bound by retaining walls off Chapel Hill, would have been demolished and a five-bedroom home built in its place.

All bedrooms of the proposed house would have had en-suite bath or shower rooms and there would also have been two kitchens and two living rooms. Also proposed was a new attached garage and parking, plus a turning area.

But North Yorkshire Council refused the scheme because of its impact on surrounding heritage assets, which includes the listed Bridge House - home of the Curious Fox restaurant.

A planning officer's report, recommending refusal, states that the existing workshop is unattractive and has a detrimental impact on the conservation area and that the proposed new house would look better and be less of a visual impact.

But, the proposed building 'differs significantly' from surrounding houses in scale and design, and appears 'much like an industrial building' with 'no architectural merit'.

The report states: "It is acknowledged that while the visual impact of the proposal would be preferable to the existing building, it remains visually unacceptable for the surrounding conservation area."