A SKIPTON hotel's plans for a £300,000 restaurant boat on the Leeds and Liverpool canal have been scuppered for a second time by Craven District Council.

In a heated debate, which saw a council solicitor repeatedly warn the applicants against interrupting councillors, the Planning Committee was told a great deal of time had been taken up talking to the Rendezvous Hotel about necessary measures needed to get its application approved.

Members were told at Tuesday's meeting that several conditions had been suggested, including times the 60ft long, battery operated 'Graceful Swan' could be in operation, and measures to reduce potential noise and disturbance along the canal, as it made its three hour return trip from its mooring next to the hotel, on Keighley Road, to the centre of the town and to the outskirts of Farnhill.

Planning manager, Neville Watson, said meetings had taken place after the original application was refused in March, but the new scheme was in excess of the original.

He suggested the right way forward was for the application to be refused and for Mr Weaving to take on board comments of the councillors, and to return with an amended plan.

Several members were in support of the scheme, commenting that it would add to the tourism offering in the town, and there was a recommendation, against officer advice, to approve the application, with the condition that it could only operate up until midnight, instead of the hoped for 2am.

But it was pointed out that the operational time was only one element of suggested conditions, and the move to approve was supported by just two councillors.

Malcolm Weaving, owner of the Rendezvous Hotel, and joint applicant with his business partner, Thomas Randell, told the meeting they had been working with the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency, which he described as the 'law of the land as far as boats are concerned'.

They had to comply with its requirements, including noise, he said.

Mr Weaving said he could assure objectors that any issues could be overcome, adding: "We are trying to do our bit to make the district a little more prosperous, to have slightly cleaner air to breathe, and do our very minor bit to slow down global warming."

Mr Weaving added that the boat was part of their bit to help Craven reach its environmental target by 2022, along with its electric car charging points at the hotel, and that it fitted in with Skipton Business Improvement District's (BID) aims to broaden the appeal of the town to visitors.

Mr Randell - responding to the debate, and outside the applicant's allotted time - said despite what councillors seemed to think, the Graceful Swan was not intended as a 'disco boat', adding that there were other boats in operation on the canal up to 2am.

Ward councillor Robert Heseltine said while in support of the application, it needed to be right and called on an adjournment for officers and applicant to get together and sort out the conditions.

"Until we know the conditions are complied with, we cannot say yes. It will be a tremendous asset to Skipton, but we have to be sure," he said.

The application was refused because of the development's close proximity to houses, and an unacceptable impact on the quality of life of residents through noise nuisance. Also because of its adverse impact on the tranquil nature of the canal.