Terraced homes are to be built on the site of a flat-roofed print shop in Skipton forty years after similar houses were bulldozed.

The demolition of the former Craven Herald building will also include the flattening of one of the most interesting buildings in the conservation area.

The small single storey turn-of-the-century warehouse near the Leeds-Liverpool canal is to be demolished because it would be difficult to include in the development.

It will be knocked down along with the single storey, flat-roofed print shop constructed in 1959 on the same site at the rear of the Craven Herald building - a Grade II-listed property which faces on to High Street.

In the 1950s the original row of terraced houses behind the former Bay Horse public house, were condemned and demolished. The site was bought by the Craven Herald, sister paper to the Telegraph & Argus, and the print works were constructed.

Planning officer Roger France said: "The small warehouse has to come down even though it is the only interesting building on the site because it is hard to fit into the scheme. The buildings will preserve the existing character and appearance of the area and the proposals will not harm the conservation area."

The scheme involves converting the building, once the editorial office of the Craven Herald, into a one bedroomed house. Part of the building will be constructed in brick and it will be stone-clad to be in keeping with the rest of the complex, said Mr France.

Craven councillor Robert Heseltine said: "I welcome the decision that the brick building should be clad in stone. It would have been highly inappropriate if it was left as red brick."

The site, opposite a row of re-furbished cottages in Bay Horse Yard, has been bought by local builders Cotterill and Kimberley.

Each of the eight cottages will each have a small rear yard and there will be parking spaces for 15 cars.

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