THE semi-derelict Brook Shed in New Road, Earby is a pretty sad sight right now.

There is a plan, pretty much nailed down, to build 47 new homes on the site.

But, unlike in perhaps a more 'affluent' part of the county, not much of the original factory will remain.

The factory chimney, which dominates the site, will go; and, possibly also the old engine house. Developers have proposed leaving the engine house, described as a 'very useful space', for some sort of community use, but that's it, no money for it's redevelopment. And, that, has been put at around half a million pounds - a sum the developers are not going to put up, and also, seemingly well out of reach of the town council.

Better then to demolish that as well then, councillors have suggested, rather that than an empty shell getting increasingly dilapidated as each year passes. After all, residents of the new homes will not be wanting to see a steadily rotting building on their estate.

The old factory is not listed, there is nothing to stop it from being demolished.

The developers want the chimney gone, to keep it intact would make the development financially unviable.

West Craven councillors hope to be able to negotiate some money out of the developers to put towards a new roundabout at a junction, already difficult and bound to get worse with all the additional traffic - a suggestion it was thought could force the developers to appeal.

So, there's the rub. Earby loses a piece of its industrial heritage, but instead it will get some new houses and an untidy area will be tidied up.