Bradford & District | Archive | 2007 | January | 4

Council holds its own garage sale

From the archive, first published Thursday 4th Jan 2007.

CRAVEN District Council is selling off some of its stock of garages.

Councillors made the decision at a performance and resources committee meeting.

The majority of the council's 206 plots and 226 garages will be kept but 40 garages in Bentham, Ingleton, Horton-in-Ribblesdale and Sutton-in-Craven will be sold off.

And six plots in Hellifield and Cononley where tenants have built their own garages will also be put up for sale.

The majority of the stock was built between 1968 and 1972 and asbestos is contained in the roofing of most of the garages.

At present the rent from tenants does not cover the council's costs.

It is proposed that cash from the sales will be reinvested into the remaining sites, many of which need maintenance and repair work.

Coun Robert Heseltine told the meeting that the Skipton sites were greatly valued by the tenants.

"If it is a valuable facility for the tenants, as far as I am concerned that is a proper role for a local authority," he said.

The Skipton plots at East Castle Street and Middletown are used by small businesses, allowing the occupants a cheaper alternative to industrial units.