logo
Conversion plans for former grammar school

Conversion plans for former grammar school

Yahoo27-04-2025
A former grammar school in the Yorkshire Dales could become a community centre, under plans due to be considered by councillors.
Richmond Grammar School, which was founded in the 14th Century, taught pupils including the author Lewis Carroll but closed in 2011.
The Grade II listed building has been vacant since then, despite previous efforts to bring it back into community use.
A proposal, drawn up by the Richmondshire Building Preservation Trust, would see it become a centre for "cultural activities and digital enterprise".
It would also focus on providing opportunities for young people, allowing them to access activities in their local area.
North Yorkshire Council's executive will discuss a report on 6 May, which sets out plans to transfer the council-owned site to the preservation trust.
Deputy council leader Gareth Dadd said: "This is an exciting opportunity to bring opportunities and experiences for local communities and visitors to Richmond that would normally only be seen in large towns and cities.
"The proposals do have a strong focus on young people which would allow them to take up a host of new opportunities, bringing digital to the Dales.
"It is a major ambition for us as a council to ensure that we can bring vitality and enterprise to our market towns."
If approved, the preservation trust would launch a fundraising campaign to finance the development.
However, Dadd added they were in the "last chance saloon" because the building would have to be sold if this project did not progress.
The former grammar school site has a current market value of about £370,000.
Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
North Yorkshire Council
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

New Starbucks drive-through and Greggs approved despite concerns
New Starbucks drive-through and Greggs approved despite concerns

Yahoo

time6 days ago

  • Yahoo

New Starbucks drive-through and Greggs approved despite concerns

A new Starbucks drive-through and a Greggs bakery can be opened on a 'derelict' site in Scarborough following the approval of plans. Plans for a Starbucks drive-through and a new Greggs in Seamer Road have been given the green light by North Yorkshire Council. The former Magnet Kitchen Showroom will be partially demolished despite concerns about potential impacts on existing town centre businesses. However, officers concluded that there were 'no existing opportunities within the town centre that comprise suitable, available, and viable alternatives to the application site'. No objections were made by members of the public or the Highway Authority, and the council noted that in its current state, the site had a negative impact on the surrounding area. RECOMMENDED READING: Plans to turn large commercial building above former Pizza Hut into 13 flats New 4,000 home development in North Yorkshire takes step forward Plans set to go in for new community-led housing development in York The Greggs and the Starbucks drive-through will share 50 parking bays, including four EV-bays, four mobility-impaired standard bays, two motorcycle-only parking bays, and bicycle storage. As part of the development, a new pedestrian refuge island crossing point will be constructed to the south of the existing entrance, and will be supported by dropped kerb crossings and tactile paving to aid pedestrian access across Seamer Road. 'The building has been vacant for some time, resulting in its deteriorated appearance, and metal fencing has been erected to bound the building so as to avoid vandalism. Former Magnet Showroom, Seamer Road. Google Maps 'The proposed scheme presents an opportunity to enhance the appearance of the building and the site in which it is situated. 'The development will see the demolition of a substantial portion of the building and its subsequent refurbishment to subdivide and form two separate units,' a report stated. According to submitted plans, no existing Greggs or Starbucks operation within North Yorkshire will be affected by the approval of the development. North Yorkshire Council granted the scheme planning permission, subject to conditions, on Friday, August 8.

Oil refinery workers 'devastated' over closure
Oil refinery workers 'devastated' over closure

Yahoo

time24-07-2025

  • Yahoo

Oil refinery workers 'devastated' over closure

More than a hundred people have gathered at a protest demanding the government take more action to save the Lindsey Oil Refinery from closure. The demonstration outside Grimsby Town Hall comes after Energy Minister Michael Shanks announced the plant near Immingham, in North East Lincolnshire, was to shut because a buyer could not be found. The Official Receiver took over the site last month after its owner, Prax, went into administration, putting 420 jobs at risk. Shane Tomlinson, 45, has worked the refinery for 20 years and said: "It's devastating for everyone". "Where is the work in Grimsby and Cleethorpes for people like this," he said. "There isn't any." His views were echoed by his colleague Greg Codling. "All the young lads have got mortgages, they've all got young children," he said. "There's going to be a lot of people all at once looking for the jobs that are not there." Simone Barker, whose dad works at the refinery, attended the demonstration with her son. She said: "It's his future, it's his brother's future, it's all the children [who are] leaving school, it's not right." Employee Pete Spencer, 52, said: "It's going to have a massive effect on the area. "I've been there 22 years. I've been a good servant, loyal servant to the place and it's going to hit everybody in this town hard all across the board. So it's a massive loss to the town, a massive loss to the area." Harriet Eisner, from Unite union, said: "They [employees at Lindsey Oil Refinery] shouldn't be made redundant, that place is viable. "It's not just the people directly employed by Lindsey Oil Refinery it's the contractors, all the people in the supply chain the local businesses who rely on their patronage. It's going to be devastating." "The government need to work a lot harder in getting a business to take over Lindsey Oil Refinery so there is a future for the people in this community". Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: "The government will immediately fund a comprehensive Training Guarantee for these refinery workers to ensure they have the skills they need and are supported to find jobs in the growing clean energy workforce." Lindsey is the smallest of the UK's oil refineries, according to the government. It is located next to the larger Phillips 66 Humber refinery, which continues to operate. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here. Download the BBC News app from the App Store for iPhone and iPad or Google Play for Android devices More on this story Calls for government to save refinery from closure Oil refinery to shut after no buyer found Oil refinery owners urged to support workers Government supporting refinery as 420 jobs at risk Related internet links Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Solve the daily Crossword

Pavement seating fee for cafes set to treble
Pavement seating fee for cafes set to treble

Yahoo

time23-07-2025

  • Yahoo

Pavement seating fee for cafes set to treble

Pubs and cafes in North Yorkshire will have to pay three times as much for outdoor seating in front of their premises under new council plans. At present, businesses are charged between £0 and £100 for the cost of a pavement licence, with the fee set to rise to £397.41 for new licences and £301.28 for renewals. A report by North Yorkshire Council officers said the increase was needed to ensure the council covered the cost of issuing the licences. If approved, the new fees would be introduced from 1 August with the council able to issue licences for up to two years. The report detailed how prior to the local government reorganisation in North Yorkshire, the seven district licensing authorities operated different pavement licensing regimes. It said the cost of the licences were based on the district authority calculations, with some not charging a fee at all. The report said: "Now, North Yorkshire has one licensing team, it is important to harmonise the pavement licence fee throughout the council area." Officers said the increased fees had been calculated based on the costs incurred by the licensing service, which were determined by several factors including staffing, accommodation and legal costs. The report said the authority could consider retaining the existing fees but said that would mean "the service would be running at a loss, and recovered unfairly elsewhere." "Any failure to recover costs permitted by statute would require an unnecessary subsidisation of the licensing regime at the expense of the council's taxpayers," the report stated. Senior councillors have been recommended to approve the increase at a meeting on Friday. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store