Councillors have approved a plan to convert a former fish and chip shop in Summerbridge that was owned by a Harrogate councillor into an office and living space.

Tom Watson, Liberal Democrat councillor for Nidd Valley, ran Valley Fisheries for 40 years before it closed eight years ago.

In 2019, Cllr Watson submitted a plan to convert the building into a home but it was withdrawn due to concerns from planners that the house that would replace the chip ship was too small.

At the time, 90 residents signed a petition calling on the local chippy to be saved despite it having closed its doors more than half a decade previously.

A fresh application to extend the building into a larger home was approved in 2020 but it has lapsed.

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The new plan will see the former chippy form a home office and annexe for Lyndale Cottage, which is next door and also owned by Cllr Watson.

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee met this afternoon at the Civic Centre in Harrogate to consider the application.

Cllr Watson sits on the planning committee and along with fellow Liberal Democrat councillors Pat Marsh and Hannah Gostlow he sat out on the vote to avoid a conflict of interest.