PLANS to demolish an empty Women's Institute hall in a North Yorkshire village have prompted 50 letters of protest and an official objection from a neighbouring town council.

The hall was formerly used by Scriven Women's Institute and it was also hired out to community groups.

Now a planning application has been submitted by Mr D Collins and Mr D Robinson to pull down the hall and replace it with a two and three-storey building for five terrace homes, four flats and a community hall.

The plan has caused concern among the community, underlined by the strength of feeling in protest letters to Harrogate Borough Council.

One objector said because of recent housing developments a larger, rather than smaller hall, would be needed.

Another said the hall had been a source of visual amenity for many years with its grounds being used as allotments until about a year ago.

There were also claims that the development would be overintensive, its design was "1960s bland", and it would add to over-urbanisation.

Knaresborough Town Council said the scheme did not provide adequate parking and too many homes were planned.

Planning officer Sara Purvis recommended that members of an area planning committee, which meets on August 31, rejects the scheme. She did not consider the development to be a satisfactory replacement for the old hall and said the layout and design, along with materials to be used, would not respect the character of the area.