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23
Sept
Knaresborough’s planned £6 million primary school may never be built
Knaresborough’s new £6 million primary school may never be built, a senior council officer has said.
North Yorkshire County Council announced plans in 2020 to open primary schools in Northallerton and Knaresborough to serve new housing estates.
Oakbridge Church of England Primary School in Northallerton opened this month at a cost of £7 million.
But there has been no progress on the school planned for children at Manse Farm in Knaresborough, as reported by the Stray Ferret here and here.
Developer Taylor Wimpey has yet to transfer the land at Manse Farm to North Yorkshire Council due to an issue over an overhead electric cable that runs across the site.
Knaresborough Town Council has expressed frustration at the lack of progress and attempted to speed matters up.
Town councillor Matt Walker, who also represents Knaresborough West on North Yorkshire Council, wrote to Stuart Carlton, the council’s corporate director of children and young people’s service, for an update this month.
Mr Carlton’s response, seen by the Stray Ferret, said little had changed since his previous update last year. He said:
Any progression of the school site and building continues to be delayed due to an overhead electric cable that runs across the new school site, this is also delaying the developer to some degree.
Northern Power is continuing to work with the developers on this matter and they have confirmed that it is unlikely that the overhead line will be dismantled before winter 2024.
Mr Carlton went on to say that “a review of the need for the project would be undertaken before a final commitment to proceed is made”. He added:
This is true of all projects but especially important where such a large investment of public funds, certainly c.£6m, would be required.
It is now some years since this was originally planned and we will need to revisit the costs, viability and process. That does not mean we are not going ahead, but we do need to remain sure of the need before committing so much money.
With the council facing a projected £48 million shortfall over the next four years, Mr Carlton’s words will provide little encouragement to families in Knaresborough.
The school, which would predominantly be for children in the new 1,000-plus homes at the Manse Farm and Highfield Farm developments, is supposed to cater for 210 pupils and have the capacity to expand its roster to 420. The plans also included a nursery.
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