Sutton'S former Silentnight site was put up for sale this week for an undisclosed asking price, the Herald can reveal.

A brochure detailing the site and how it can be developed is being prepared by estate agents Dacre, Son and Hartley and will be available to potential purchasers soon.

The eight acre site, off Bridge Road, already has planning permission for mixed development, including some 70 houses plus light industrial units.

The planning permission was granted following a public inquiry in January, in which the furniture giants accused Craven District Council bosses of "dragging their heels" over making a decision.

The council said it was waiting for the results of another public inquiry into its Local Plan.

But Government inspector Peter Walker concluded that to go ahead with development of the site would not prejudice the Local Plan.

"There can be no doubt that this is a very suitable site for a mixed use development. It is well related to existing housing in Sutton-in-Craven," he said.

Silentnight Holdings company secretary Richard Hope told the Herald this week that it was putting the site on the market.

He added that the deadline for interested parties had been put at noon on September 30.

Mr Hope also renewed his pledge that once the development was completed Sutton Cricket Club would be granted a lease for its ground, which is owned by Silentnight, and that the future of the nearby allotments would be secured.

"I'm mindful of the fact that this has taken a little longer than anticipated, but the cricket club will have its lease and the parish council will have their allotments," he said.

The Silentnight premises were made redundant in the early 1990s when production of headboards, storage divans and components for mattresses were moved to other sites.

The building was eventually demolished in 1996 and the site has remained empty ever since.

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