Senior councillors have given the go-ahead for a major investment in its outdoor learning centres at Bewerley Park and East Barnby.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive yesterday approved spending £4.2m on an 84-bed accommodation block at Bewerley Park, near Pateley Bridge, and improvements to the accommodation block and dining room at East Barnby, near Whitby.

Bewerley Park was built in the 1940s and has been used by North Yorkshire schoolchildren for decades. Its activities, which include canoeing, rock climbing and orienteering, enable young people to learn life skills and have fun.

The council’s outdoor learning service charges between £145 and £170 per night to attend Bewerley Park but it has struggled to record a profit since 2015.

This year it hiked the charge by up to £30 a night due to inflationary pressures.

The council’s Conservative executive member for finance, Gareth Dadd, said the service was “on its knees” but the investment has rescued the two sites “from the jaws of death”.

He added: 

“We were ready to send bulldozers in. Let’s make no bones about it.

“Officers and staff have responded and come up with what is a sustainable business model. Credit to them all in developing that.”

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Further works at Bewerley Park could take place at a later date with a decision expected by 2028. Cllr Dadd said any future expansion will be dependent on the success of the new accommodation block.

The council will still need to obtain planning permission for the work but it says the centres will remain open during construction.

Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, the council’s executive member for education, learning and skills, added: 

“This is an exciting project. For decades both centres have proven very popular, being visited by generations of families. Thousands of children and young people visit the centres each year and leave with positive, happy memories.

“It’s vital that our centres continue to deliver wonderful experiences in a more modern environment.”

Bewerley Park, near Pateley Bridge, looks set to get a new 84-bed accommodation block as part of a £4.2 million upgrade.

North Yorkshire Council has outlined plans to modernise its two outdoor education centres at Bewerley Park and East Barnby.

The residential sites popular with schools offer a range of outdoor activities, such as canoeing, paddle-boarding and caving.

Phase one of the plans proposes to provide a new 84-bed accommodation block at Bewerley Park and to make improvements to East Barnby accommodation blocks and the dining room.

Bewerley Park, which recently faced the possibility of closure, currently has 173 beds for students and teachers.

Councillors will be asked to approve the phase one plans at an executive meeting on Tuesday.

If given the go-ahead, detailed designs will be developed, followed by a two-stage tender process to carry out the work.

Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, executive member for education, learning and skills, said:

“This is an exciting project. For decades both centres have proven very popular, being visited by generations of families. Thousands of children and young people visit the centres each year and leave with positive, happy memories.

“It’s vital that our centres continue to deliver wonderful experiences in a more modern environment.”

East Barnby in North York Moors National Park is also part of the scheme. The plans outline improvements to its accommodation blocks and the dining room.

Work for phase one is expected to cost up to £4.2 million and a decision on phase two is expected in 2027-2028.

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The council’s assistant director for education and skills, Amanda Newbold, added:

“If given the go-ahead, we expect phase one to be completed by 2025. The new buildings and improvements won’t affect our visitors – in fact, we look forward to welcoming more visitors as the works take place.”

The plans come after North Yorkshire Council found a 21% price increase for trips to Bewerley Park proved “prohibitive” to some local schools.

The site, which opened in 1940, hiked its fees and charges to reflect inflation and rising costs.

However, Teresa Thorp, head of outdoor learning services at the council, said in a report published in September:

“There have been a few schools who have found the increase in fees and charges for 2023-24 prohibitive, demonstrating that last year’s fees and charges increase has adversely affected the take up of services in some cases.”

Ms Thorp added the council had to compete with other outdoor learning centres, such as Low Mill, Robin Wood and Carlton Lodge.

North Yorkshire Council has said a 21% price increase for trips to its outdoor learning centres proved “prohibitive” to some schools.

The council runs outdoor learning sites at Bewerley Park near Pateley Bridge and East Barnaby at Whitby.

It hiked fees and charges by 21% this year to reflect increases in inflation and costs.

However, Teresa Thorp, head of outdoor learning service at the council, said in report:

“There have been a few schools who have found the increase in fees and charges for 2023-24 prohibitive, demonstrating that last year’s fees and charges increase has adversely affected the take up of services in some cases.”

Ms Thorp added the council had to compete with other outdoor learning centres, such as Low Mill, Robin Wood and Carlton Lodge.

Robin Wood is currently charging £250 for a three day and two night stay compared to £275 at a North Yorkshire Council run site.

Competitor prices for outdoor learning centres. Picture: NYC.

In her report, Ms Thorp said that the market would “not sustain a further price increase”.

As a result, the council has proposed keeping charges the same for the academic year from September 2024 to March 2025.

However, the authority has proposed to increase course fees offered by the outdoor learning service by 6.8% in line with inflation.

It also plans to implement charges for corporate and conference facilities to generate income.

Ms Thorp added:

“It is believed that continuing with our fees and charges for school residential will enable the service to retain its current customer base, recruit new customers and compete with its surrounding competitors, all of which will result in increased bookings and customer retention.”

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Nidderdale Show in Pateley Bridge is to move permanently from its traditional Monday slot to a Sunday.

The show, which celebrated its 150th anniversary this year, was forced to change dates last month when the Queen’s funeral was arranged on the same day on Monday, September 19.

The event, which attracts about 13,000 people, was hastily brought forward by 24 hours to a Sunday.

Bewerley Park. Credit: Jemison Photographer

The weekend date proved popular and the show committee has now decided the event will be held on a Sunday annually, with September 24 scheduled for next year.

Show press officer Alex Smith said the weekend was more attractive to families and would make it easier to find stewards and judges.

She added:

“Pretty much everybody was in favour of changing it to a Sunday.

“Many people said if they had known it would be on a Sunday this year they would have entered an exhibit.

“The children’s horse riding classes had low entries — many categories will benefit if the show takes place on a Sunday because more children and families will attend.”

Nidderdale Agricultural Committee stages the event at Bewerley Park.

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Plans have been submitted to create a new, modern outdoor learning facility at Bewerley Park, near Pateley Bridge.

The proposals include two new accommodation blocks, a changing and wet suit drying room, and a central ‘hub’ space.

Each accommodation block would include 12 en-suite dormitories – seven with six beds and five with eight beds – and eight single rooms for staff.

The two-storey ‘hub’ would have space for lessons, dining, games and indoor sports, as well as a reception and kitchen facilities.

The new, larger buildings would be built in the same part of the site as the current smaller dormitories and would be centred around a courtyard. The project would be completed in phases, with the first accommodation block built before the old rooms are demolished.

The proposed new buildings at Bewerley Park

In a supporting statement, North Yorkshire County Council‘s agent, Align Property Partners, said:

“Simply, the design and layout of the current buildings do not meet the demands and function requirements of a modern outdoor education centre.

“The size and layout of the existing dormitories are inflexible in terms of varying occupancy and limit the potential use of the centre. For this reason, a new dormitory block is proposed in the first phase.”

As well as catering for schools and other groups, the plan references including facilities for campers, with a shower and toilet block. This, it says, forms part of the business plan: NYCC has emphasised the need for Bewerley Park to be sustainable without relying on funding from the taxpayer.

The residential centre had faced an uncertain future last year when owners North Yorkshire County Council said it was running at significant loss and its accommodation was not up to scratch.

However, after extensive support from schools and individuals, the county council decided to invest in the site for future use.

Full details of the planning application can be found here. Harrogate Borough Council will make a decision about the proposal on a date to be confirmed.

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Bewerley Park, the outdoor residential learning site used by generations of Harrogate district students, has been saved from the axe.

North Yorkshire County Council announced last year it would review the future of the site, which was built in the 1940s and consists mainly of wooden huts.

A consultation revealed overwhelming support to maintain the facility and next week the council’s executive will be recommended to approve funding for redevelopment.

However, there is a proviso that the service will be able to operate sustainably in the future and without any subsidy from council taxpayers.

The council is recommending an initial £400,000 be spent drawing up a business case to bring Bewerley Park up to modern-day standards and allow it to work in a more commercial manner.

Cllr Stanley Lumley, member for Pateley Bridge division, welcomed the news. He added:

“Bewerley Park is a much-loved facility. I was overwhelmed with the concern from the local community and beyond when it was announced the centre was under review.

“I strongly believe the outdoor learning service is essential for young people’s physical and mental wellbeing, especially after the crisis in wellbeing among young people during lockdown.

“It has been a rite of passage in North Yorkshire for many generations. The service has to go forward on a business-like, sustainable footing, but we are moving forward on a positive footing.”

Benefits to young people

The council review into the outdoor learning service began in February gathered feedback from hundreds of adults, children and schools.

It also included the East Barnaby site, near Whitby, which along with Bewerley Park was closed due to covid. They have since reopened.

The review concluded the outdoor learning service contributed to young people leading “lifelong healthy lifestyles with improved social, emotional and mental health and resilience and reduced health inequalities”.

Those taking part in the review said the service helped children and young people improve wellbeing and life skill. A total of 81 per cent said it helped participants learn to manage risk and 78 per cent said it helped with emotional skills.

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The review also concluded the design and layout of the current buildings were found to not meet the demands of a modern outdoor education centre and the large dormitories limited the number of groups that can use the centre at any one time.

The review, which aims to increase bookings, recommended only minor improvements to facilities at the council’s other outdoor site in East Barnby.

Cllr Patrick Mulligan, executive member for education and skills said:

“If the proposals are approved later this month, then the service has been given the opportunity to thrive, but it must be commercially viable and be more financially independent if it secures the investment needed to bring facilities up to standard.

“Generations of people of all ages have fond memories of school trips where they took part in outdoor adventures and tried many activities for the first time, from caving to gorge-walking and canoeing.

“But its future is dependent on it being used.”

Cllr Mulligan urged schools, charities and other groups to use the sites, which are open year-round,

If the investment is agreed, then we still need to secure the future of the service by making sure it is well-used, year round, so that generations to come can continue to create memories of a lifetime in the North Yorkshire countryside.”

Further details are available here.

North Yorkshire County Council has said the review of its outdoor learning centre at Bewerley Park in Pateley Bridge generated a big response.

There was widespread opposition to an announcement in February this year that the future of the two council-run centres — Bewerley Park and East Barnby near Whitby — were under threat. Both centres experienced a dramatic loss of income due to covid.

As a result, senior county councillors voted to review the outdoor learning service.

The review collected feedback from hundreds of adults, children, stakeholders and organisations and looked at the range of facilities and activities the service offers to schools, children and young people.

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It has also looked at the number of people who use the service and the cost of operating it.

Questionnaires were also sent to members of the public, staff and schools in North Yorkshire.

East Barnaby outdoor learning centre

A report containing a recommendation for the future of the outdoor learning service will now go before the council’s executive in autumn.

Cllr Patrick Mulligan said:

“We have had a very high response to questionnaires and engagement exercises and would like to thank everyone who took the time to give their feedback.

“That information is now being used along with extensive data from both residential sites to come up with the most suitable recommendation for the future of outdoor learning services in North Yorkshire.

“The ultimate goal is to ensure we are making the best use of facilities and opportunities for young people in the county and to ensure this is a sustainable service fit for the future.”

Schools have used the facilities at Bewerley Park and East Barnby this summer for day activities.

While the review continues, both sites will be open to schools for residential visits in the forthcoming academic year.