A GROUP of historic buildings are set to be sold off by Middlesbrough Council after development guidelines were approved.

The sale of Nunthorpe Hall Farm and Blacksmith’s Yard, which was approved by the council’s Executive Sub-Committee for Property, will see the sites marketed with Development Guidance from the North of England Civic Trust (NECT). It outlines that the main farm building and the Blacksmith’s Yard should remain as they are externally, but can be turned into homes.

The proposals were first put forward in April 2012, when the committee considered a report on the review of non-strategic assets regarding the disposal of land and property.

In July 2013 the sale of the properties, at West Side in Nunthorpe Village and which are let by the council for farming and commercial use, to be redeveloped as housing was approved.

However, during the discussions it was decided that as both sites are in the Nunthorpe & Poole Conservation Area and contain historic buildings, the Council should commission the North of England Civic Trust (NECT) to prepare development guidance.

The move, which was welcomed by English Heritage, saw NECT liaising with the tenants of both Nunthorpe Hall Farm and the Blacksmiths Yard in preparing their Development Guidance.

Councillor Charlie Rooney, the council’s executive member for regeneration, said: “These buildings are non-strategic but are of historic importance to the town, so it is right that we do all we can to preserve this piece of our heritage.

“Because of this it was right to ask the NECT to prepare the Development Guidance which addresses the three themes of understanding the heritage assets, evaluating what is significant and managing change.

“These themes follow recognised conservation planning practise and the process of actively managing change to a heritage asset in order to protect what makes it significant.

“The Council has gone over and above its statutory duty in its approach to conservation and we are glad this has been recognised by English Heritage.”

A four-week consultation period was also held in Autumn 2014, to which 11 responses to the plans were received on issues including access, parking, traffic, conservation, over-development and the environment.

As well as endorsing the NECT Development Guidance, the committee noted the results of the consultations and gave approval for the Council to begin the marketing for the sale of the buildings, having full regard to the Development Guidance.