A SWEDISH design company has chosen to base its new UK head office in Cononley - at the £30 million mixed residential and office space redevelopment of the former Green’s Mill and surrounding area.

Skipton based Candelisa, which started work last year on its ‘Motor Works’ site, close to Cononley Railway Station, says it has agreed terms for 15,000 sq ft of office and employment space for Nilorn, one of Europe’s leading branding and design companies, which produces labels, packaging and accessories.

It expects to have completed the new offices early next year, while the rest of the development, which will see the conversion of the former mill into 51 apartments, plus the addition of 46 new homes on the surrounding area, is expected to be completed towards the end of 2019.

Guy Taylor, Candelisa managing director, said:“We are delighted to have concluded this deal with Nilorn which will provide a major boost to the local economy and create potential employment opportunities.”

Mr Taylor added some 20 per cent of the new homes had already been sold to residents from the area.

?Mr Taylor said he hoped the interest in the Cononley scheme by an overseas business could be mirrored at another of its mixed residential and industry schemes, on the outskirts of Settle, which he hopes will be considered by the planning authority in the near future.

The proposed ‘Anley Crag’ scheme, featuring a business park and 19 homes, on a greenfield site between the A65 and the B6480 Skipton Road, was submitted more than a year ago, and is yet to be considered by Craven District Council. It has raised objections from Settle Town Council and was recommended for refusal by the highways authority.

He said: “We have evidence that the creation of an environmentally conscious, sophisticated business park at Anley Crag will attract similar professional businesses making it a great working environment and offering a fantastic work life balance. The scheme is also critical to Craven’s commitment to provide opportunities for talented professionals to live, work and remain in the rural North and help retain the vibrancy of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.”