Regarding Joyce Newton’s letter – ‘There's a covenant on centre which severely restricts its use’ (Keighley News, February 27).

In 2010, KTC negotiated to obtain a licence from the Devonshire Estate to ease the restrictive covenant on the building so the building may be used for other purposes (the restrictive covenant only covers the new-build, not the old court house).

The licence was recorded in the finance committee minutes from August 25, 2010, thus: ‘The licence for the covenant has been agreed at £1,000 under budget, to come into effect from 01/01/2011.’ Attending this finance meeting was a Councillor Joyce Newton Having spoken with Benedict Heyes of the Bolton Abbey Estate on April 30, 2013, on this very subject, he confirmed a licence could be granted to anyone, but KTC was given a favourable deal. He did add that at the time of our conversation the licence had not yet been finalised.

I sent an FOI request to KTC requesting a copy of the licence. On attaining a copy that was redacted, I had to involve the Information Commissioners Office to have KTC explain the reason for the redaction, the outcome being on January 30, 2014.

The ICO sent me its decision notice on this matter, which contained the reply from KTC, which stated: “The agreement is still in draft form and that the council is working to it until the legal department has finalised a document which all parties are willing and able to sign.”

Therefore, the restrictive covenant can be lifted.

Graham Forsyth

Riddlesden