Plans approved to convert former Harrogate district fish and chip shop owned by councillor

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

In 2019, Councillor Watson submitted a plan to convert the building into a home but it was withdrawn due to concerns from planners that the house that would replace the chip ship was too small.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 building into a larger home was approved in 2020 but it has lapsed.

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 Councillor Watson.

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

Councillor 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.

There was no debate and the plan was approved unanimously.