A coffee chain can open in Skipton, councillors ruled.

Craven District Council’s planning committee debated for more than an hour whether the Costa Coffee plan complied with policy on maintaining the mix of shops and cafes in the town centre.

It was the third attempt by applicants Shish and Smila Patel to convert the former mobile phone shop on Sheep Street, which has been empty for two years.

The couple, who have three other Costa Coffee outlets, have also had an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate turned down and are due to have a second appeal heard on Tuesday, February 23.

Councillor Marcia Turner proposed the scheme be refused on policy grounds, and she called for a condition to be put on any approval that the café be returned to retail use after two years.

Permission for the cafe was granted, but only for two years – after which the applicants would have to re-apply for planning permission for the café to continue.