A farm shop’s plans for a new “eco-barn of the 21st century” were unveiled as part of a public consultation.

The family-run Keelham Farm Shop firm – based at Thornton , near Bradford – wants to build a £3 million super-size farm shop on the site of the disused Nicholas Smith garage in Gargrave Road, Skipton .

If approved, the scheme would create 60 jobs As part of the consultation, the Keelham team transformed a room of Skipton Auction Mart into a fruit and vegetable market and offered food tasting samples from a selection of Keelham’s 400 local producers and farmers.

Victoria Robertshaw, who runs Keelham Farm Shop with her brother, James, said: “We were overwhelmed by the positive response from the dozens of people that came and made the effor to find out more about the scheme or show their support. I’m really glad we had this opportunity to give people a flavour of what Keelham is all about. Visitors seemed impressed by our products and our plans.”

If the application is approved, building work will begin in spring 2013 and the new farm shop and activity barn will be open in early 2014. For more information, visit keelhamfarmshop.co.uk