A DEVELOPER'S attempt to give an empty Richmond fashion house a new lease of life seems likely to fail.

Builder Randall Orchard Construction was hoping Richmondshire District Council would throw its weight behind the conversion of the old Frances Lee premises in Pottergate into five flats.

The building has been empty since the company collapsed in 1997, after a brief period of fame on the international bridalwear scene.

However, although the authority has no objections to the principle of residential use, the lack of parking has proved a sticking point.

Randall Orchard said that offering young people and the disabled the chance to buy affordable property should outweigh the lack of parking spaces.

But, when councillors meet tomorrow night, they will be urged to reject the project.

A report to the planning committee says that to do otherwise would be in breach of the authority's policies and advice from the county council's highways department.