Work on Craven District Council’s new £3.5 million premises in Skipton is due to restart on Monday.

Craven District Council will share first and second floor offices at Belle Vue Mills, on Broughton Road, with North Yorkshire County Council.

And if it goes to schedule, the councils will move in next spring with both claiming it will save money.

It is also likely to mean the closure of the Brewery Lane site – which reopened in December after being closed for three years while the first phase of the redevelopment was taking place.

Redevelopment of the former mill into residential and office use stalled during last year’s recession.

The complex is now owned by Yorkshire property company The Rushbond Group – which has been working with previous owners, Novo Homes, on an amended scheme for the site.

The first phase – Glista Mills to the left of the complex – has been redeveloped as 65 apartments and phase two will see the redevelopment of the four- storey main mill building to the right.

The council’s accommodation will feature a ground floor chamber and register office overlooking a central piazza.

The district council, which had budgeted £4.09 million for the move, has paid £3.3 million for the 999-year lease and put aside £260,000 for fixtures and fittings.

Coun Chris Knowles Fitton, leader of Craven District Council, said: “At present, the district council is spread over a number of sites in Skipton which is just not convenient for our residents.

“The new office accommodation will allow us to better serve the public and save tax-payers’ money at the same time.”

He said it would help the two local councils cope with increasing financial pressure due to the economic climate and Government funding cuts.