EXTRA car parking at Skipton Building Society has been welcomed by Craven councillors.

Despite calls by the ward councillor to put off making a decision until the completion of a green travel plan, planners approved reconfiguration of one of the company's car parking areas at its Skipton headquarters resulting in an additional 37 spaces.

Monday's Planning Committee meeting of Craven District Council heard that the building society proposed felling some trees at the existing car park at the front entrance off The Bailey, and changes to its layout, resulting in an increase from the present 17 to 54 spaces.

But Cllr Eric Jaquin - who asked for the application to be decided by committee and not under officer delegation - said while the extra spaces were welcome, he believed the building society was not doing enough to address parking problems in the area.

He believed the company, which he said currently employed 1,560 people and had just 560 car parking spaces on site, was ignoring parking problems, although he did appreciate it was a major employer which carried out good charity work.

But councillors heard approval of the scheme would not stop a review of the green travel plan - which sets out alternative ways of travelling to the site - and which was due to be completed shortly.

Cllr Robert Heseltine said any extra spaces should be welcomed and that there was no point in the decision being deferred.

He added that he was aware of other plans by the company to address long standing issues with parking in the Regents estate, but that they must remain confidential for the time being.

Cllr John Dawson, who worked for the building society for several years, reminded councillors there was a problem with people parking in residential streets all over the town, and not just in the Regents estate.

"It is a problem for the whole of Skipton. I don't know what the solution is, but it is a Skipton-wide problem," he said.