THE bid to revitalise a disused Dales mill has won planners' unanimous backing.
The North East Civic Trust has spent the past five years developing a project which will see Gayle Mill reopened as a rural resource.
Workshops inside will be used to teach traditional woodwork techniques, with the end products used locally.
The 18th Century mill - home to the world's oldest water-driven turbine - will also be open to visitors, although numbers will be limited to minimise the amount of traffic using narrow roads in the area.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has already invested £500,000 in the scheme and now planning permission has been granted, the North East Civic Trust can use the grant to help purchase the building.
Once restoration work is under way, it is hoped a friends organisation can be founded, ready to take over responsibility for the day-to-day running of the new tourist attraction once the refurbishment is complete.
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