Village school to be demolished and rebuilt

A North Yorkshire village primary school is to be knocked down and another built in its place.

Permission for the redevelopment of Michael Syddall Church of England Primary School in Catterick was approved by councillors.

The demolition was given the go-ahead despite some residents' concerns over the height of the planned new building and the impact it could have on the community.

A report heard by councillors stated that the proposed new building was "appropriate" and "would not lead to an unacceptable impact on neighbour amenity or privacy".

At last week's meeting approving the redevelopment, councillor Steve Watson said: “The school is becoming older and starting to show its age, and the facilities are restricted by the actual building."

The proposed plan "looks to be very good", he said.

"There have been concerns about height but, looking closer at some of the plans, the majority of that extra height is just roof space over the main hall.

"It's not the case that a two-storey building is being put there with an impact on the gardens around it."

Under the plans, the existing building will be knocked down and replaced with a new single-storey school with a new car park and playing fields, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Councillors heard that the new building would be built in an L-shape, positioned to the south east of the site, parallel to Swale Lane.

The scheme sought to improve the facility for children, including Special Educational Needs provision and sports facilities, council officers said.

However, it would not increase the school's capacity for pupils or staff, and the existing access to the site would continue to be used, they said.

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