Plans to convert a North Yorkshire fish and chip shop into a house have been approved.

The property, which had been operating as a fish and chip shop, was deemed financially unviable over the past two years.

Applicants now intend to use the building as an Airbnb, hoping to attract tourists to Richmond and help boost the local economy.

A planning application was submitted for the property at 4 Newbiggin, Richmond, by Mr and Mrs Jennifer Barker, through their agent Stephen McIntyre.

The property is a mixed-use building with commercial space on the ground floor and residential accommodation above.

Proposed changes of use will see 96 square metres of commercial space converted to residential space, increasing the total number of rooms from three to four, which applicants argued will allow for an expanded living space suitable for short-term tourists.

Several external changes were also proposed to improve the building's appearance.

These include repairing the rear walls, which are in poor condition, and replacing the existing single-glazed sash windows with heritage-style double-glazed units to match the original look of the building.

The current timber/glass front door will also be replaced with a solid door similar to those of nearby properties.

The application was reviewed and full planning permission was granted on October 23 by North Yorkshire Council.

The approval comes with certain conditions.

The development must start within three years from the date of permission.

All work must be carried out following the approved drawings, which include detailed plans for the exterior and interior, such as the location plan, floor plans, and elevations.

The decision notice also reminds the applicants that this planning permission does not eliminate the need to seek additional approvals where necessary, such as listed building consent or compliance with building regulations.