DEVELOPERS Skipton Properties says it hopes to convert the former St Stephen’s Catholic School in Skipton into new homes.

The listed school and adjoining Holywell Cottage on Gargrave Road has been up for sale for several months, and last year suffered fire damage, resulting in the windows and doors being boarded up.

Sarah Barraclough, managing director of Skipton Properties, said: “We are delighted to announce that we have just purchased the site featuring the existing Holywell Cottage and St Stephen’s School and are hoping to create a number of apartments and family homes.

“Contracts were only exchanged last week so plans are currently in their infancy, but we will be working with a specialist heritage expert and engaging with Historic England to preserve heritage assets and breathe new life into the buildings.

“We have extensive experience of bringing historic buildings that sit in conservation areas back to life, and we will use our expertise to transform the site into a stunning new development that retains it important historical assets and sympathetically blends into its surroundings.”