A multi-million pound development programme has been launched with the aim of transforming a town.

Craven district council is seeking builders to bid for the work on four major sites around Skipton.

A prospectus, outlining how the council would like to see the work progress, has been published.

It precedes a special meeting of Craven's planning committee, on Tuesday February 6, when a decision will be made on a site independent of the prospectus.

Skipton town-centre based Home Loan company wants to relocate to a council-owned greenfield site, off Gargrave Road.

And Craven council is also looking at whether it would make a suitable location for a new headquarters.

The prospectus sets out what potential developers will be expected to deliver at the four sites.

It includes a proposal to demolish the Granville Street headquarters of Craven council and use the area for new housing.

Also within the development package is another greenfield site, at Horse Close, where councillors want to see development.

Builders will also be bidding to refurbish the listed Town Hall, in High Street, Skipton, and to demolish and redevelop the 1970s constructed building at 9 High Street, which is also owned by the council.

The deadline for builders to show they are interested is Monday, February 26. A shortlist will then be drawn up by April.

It will be followed by a public consultation in which the developers will be expected to show their schemes for each location.

Skipton Civic Society has been fiercely opposed to wide-scale redevelopment of Skipton and early last year claimed victory when Craven scaled down its plans, especially relating to the construction of multi-storey car parking.

Civic Society member John Moody said they would await the detailed plans for the four sites before making comments, but members are unhappy about the proposal to build in Gargrave Road because it breaches Skipton's local plan.

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