In 2003 Skipton gained the Regional Development Agency’s Renaissance Market Town status, which produced a long term Masterplan and in turn a Delivery Plan.  The original Skipton Developments project was drawn together as a result of the Masterplan and Delivery Plan.

Initially the project encompassed:

·        The Coach Street and Canal Basin car parks for decked parking and residential/commercial

·        Cavendish Street car park for decked parking

·        The Town Hall car park for decked parking and residential/commercial

·        The refurbishment of the Town Hall

·        The re-development of 9 High Street

·        Granville Street (site of current Council Offices) for residential

·        The Horse Close site was a late addition (2005) to the scheme for residential, although the Council had previously taken the decision to allocate this site for housing

In November 2004 the Council held a public consultation to gain the public’s views of the ideas for each of the sites. At this time it also included the relocation of Council Offices together with North Yorkshire County Council services as a one stop shop on the Coach Street car park.

As a result of feedback received at the consultation amendments were made to the plans and a second public consultation was held in June 2005.  Again this provoked a high degree of interest and feedback from the public which resulted, in February 2006, in the Council taking the decision to reduce the scheme to:

The refurbishment of the Town Hall to transform it into a cultural hub The re-development of 9 High Street Residential re-development of Granville Street Residential development at Horse Close