COUNCILLORS have hit out at officers for not letting them know about the sale of development land in Skipton before it appeared in the Craven Herald.

Craven members on North Yorkshire Council complained at a meeting that the first they knew about the sale of land off Airedale Avenue, Skipton, was when they saw it on the front page of the Herald.

The land, which is earmarked for housing in the Craven Local Plan and was going to be developed with housing by the former Craven District Council, has been sold by North Yorkshire Council to Skipton Properties.

The Cross Hills based housebuilder has wasted no time in submitting plans to build 53 new homes on the site.

But speaking at yesterday's (Thursday) Skipton and Ripon Area Committee meeting in Skipton, Councillor Andy Brown (Green, Aire Valley) said he had been 'embarrassed' to have been asked about it by members of the public when he had not known the sale had taken place.

"I found out about in the Craven Herald. We ought to be told of major changes like that," he said.

"Craven Council must have spent hundreds of hours in meetings discussing it, and none of us were sighted in the sale or the outcomes of it until we saw it in the press, which is unfortunate; the tapping in to our knowledge was missed and there was the embarrassment of being an elected member and being asked about something and saying ' I absolutely know nothing about it."

Cllr Robert Heseltine (Con/Ind, Skipton East and South), said he too had known nothing about the sale, despite the site being in the middle of his ward.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: "If it wasn't for the Craven Herald, I wouldn't have been informed. This is not the first time I have not been informed by officers, but Airedale Avenue in particular is right in the middle of my North Yorkshire division and is a very high profile and sensitive issue.

"I have gone to officers before to talk about Airedale Avenue, but just got nowhere. It seems members aren't included in conversations."

Cllr Heseltine added it had also been a surprise to learn that final consent on the application for the site had never been issued.

Plans under consideration by North Yorkshire Council for the just under six acre, triangular field site off Airedale Avenue are for 53 one to four bed homes, including 30 per cent affordable.

Access will be off Airedale Avenue and Otley Road.