Carleton Mill will once again be ringing with the sound of voices - more than three years after it was closed.

Novo Homes is forging ahead with its plans to turn the 130-year-old building into 51 luxury flats.

Its show flat is now open for viewing and the building company hopes to have most of the conversion work finished by early August.

However the tower flat - the most prestigious apartment of all - may take a while longer to complete.

The first phase of the work will release 16 flats for sale, with the prices ranging from £99,950 to £208,000. Three have already been reserved.

"We had a preview evening last Wednesday and the response was very good," said Novo Homes' office manager Sarah Howe.

Asked about the target market, she said: "I suppose we are looking for professional couples and single people with big incomes. I do not think the development will appeal to families as there is no garden."

Built in 1861, the mill has had a varied history. It was initially used for cotton spinning, but in the 1930s became home to a mail order business run by the Fattorini family.

The Rover company took over in 1941, using the building to manufacture aircraft parts for the war effort. That lasted until 1947 when the Aspinall family took over, making textiles and later carpets.

In 1980 the mill was bought by Gaskell plc. It ran a carpet business there until the shock announcement in November 1999 that it was closing the operation, with the loss of 130 jobs.

Now the mill is going the way of other successful mill conversions in the Skipton area, providing homes for new generations of local people as Novo Homes' acquisition of the grade two listed building has breathed new life into its aged walls.

The development merges historical features with modern design, says the company's website. "It combines a paradoxical usage of traditional materials in a contemporary setting," it adds.

One unusual feature is the open air atrium, created in the centre of the mill. When complete it will include a water feature, a stone-flagged piazza, brick planters and a glass-fronted lift.

Novo Homes - whose motto is "we restore, renew and rebuild" - has particular reason for wanting the Carleton project to be a success. It is moving its headquarters from Silsden into ground floor offices at the mill. "We will be the management company for the mill, and will be on site all the time," explained Sarah.

The development also includes 26 new homes in the mill grounds - most are new build but others have been created in ancillary buildings such as the engine house and loading bays. "There are only seven that have not been sold," she added.

Novo Homes' other projects have included Rosemount Court in Sutton, and it has just bought Bradley Mill, again to convert for residential use.

The show flat is open between 11am and 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays. To arrange a weekday appointment call Novo Homes on 01756 709086 or the selling agents James Pye and Sons on 01756 700007.