A major new scheme which would radically alter Skipton town centre is being considered by Craven Council.

Described as a "vision for the future", it involves redeveloping the Town Hall site and creating a multi-tiered car park at the rear.

All Council offices would be brought onto one site and other agencies would be encouraged to move in, creating a one-stop shop for public services.

A new arts centre and heritage museum could also be created on the site.

A major consideration has been the cost of maintaining buildings which are in a poor condition.

The plan was unveiled at a committee meeting of the Council by Robert Heseltine, who said it had been discussed behind the scenes by several civic figures.

He said: "It is time to be brave. Local authorities are not just about emptying dustbins, they are there to guide the community into new eras."

Coun Heseltine unveiled the plan which he split into three parts:

a single site on the High Street based on the Council's existing properties for Craven Council, bringing together other services;

building a new Town Hall car park by digging down to create several tiers;

a new heritage museum and arts centre on the site.

Coun Heseltine said: "Back in the Eighties there was substantial thought which went into improving Skipton as the capital of Craven through land transfers.

"We got the auction mart to move to the outskirts of town on a modern, purpose-built site. It would not have survived the present crisis in the farming industry if it had stayed on its old site."

He said the new Dales Countryside Museum was bringing thousands of visitors to Hawes and a similar project in Skipton could be similarly attractive.

"Hawes is a boom town, Skipton should be the same," he said.

The meeting was told the cost of maintaining the Town Hall was "frightening" and there were real problems in the pipeline such as making it accessible to the disabled.

Councillor Carl Lis, who is manager at Ingleton quarry, said: "There comes a time when you have to spend.

"We did that at the quarry and in the long run it was the right decision and I've a feeling that we have come to that point here in Skipton."

A report will now go to the full council calling for an internal appraisal of the project's feasibility.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.