The approval of plans to build new homes off Townhead Way, Settle, has been welcomed as a much- needed tidying up of the site.

Craven District Council’s planning committee heard that the council-owned land between houses on Townhead Way and the listed Holy Ascension Church was currently grassed over, but neglected.

Now, the council will build a pair of semi-detached houses on the site with access off Townhead Way.

The two-storey houses will have their own parking spaces and there will be no windows overlooking the church graveyard or properties on Townhead Way.

Councillor Robert Heseltine (Ind) said it was a tight site which had been neglected for at least ten years.

“I would think local people would be happy about it being tidied up,” he said.

His proposal that development rights, for the building of garden sheds, be removed as a condition of approval was accepted by the committee.

Coun Heseltine said it would be inappropriate for a shed to be built so close to a graveyard which was still in use.