RESIDENTS are being urged to voice their views on proposals to build a new primary school on former farmland to serve a huge housing estate.

North Yorkshire County Council has submitted an application, which is likely to be decided by its own planning committee, for a seven-classroom school, which has sufficient space to undergo a major expansion, at the North Northallerton development.

The blueprints, which residents can comment on until March 20, follow Hambleton District Council approving a planning application from the consortium of developers – Persimmon Homes, Mulberry Homes and Taylor Wimpey – for outline approval for 900 homes, commercial buildings, a neighbourhood shopping centre, extra care facilities, a primary school and community uses - sports pitches and allotments off Darlington Road.

The consultation comes weeks after the district authority approved plans to build a bridge over the Middlesbrough line railway, as a key element of the North Northallerton scheme, the building of which is scheduled to start later this month and be completed by October.

It is hoped the bridge will relieve congestion in Northallerton caused by level crossings.

Previous consultations on the development have attracted interest from several hundred residents.

Agents for the county council said the 1,520sq m single storey primary school had been designed to keep the overall building footprint to a minimum, alongside some 8,830sq m of hard standing.

They said the proposals envisaged the school to initially have seven classes, but it would be designed to enable up to 75 children in each year group and leave space for a nursery to be added to the building if required in future.

Provision in the plans has also been made to allow the car park, featuring 37 spaces including 13 for staff, 19 for visitors and five disabled spaces, to be extended should the school be expanded.

Some 56 spaces for cycles has also been included to encourage children to ride to the school, which would be the only primary in the north area of the town, where previously residential property has been limited.

The school would be located at the centre of the residential development, which is currently under construction by several housing developers.

In documents submitted with the application, agents for the county council said: “The proposals will enhance the character of the surrounding area giving a focal point to the residential development.

“The scale and massing of the proposed structure has been designed to be sympathetic to the proposed neighbouring properties being of a similar height and construction.

“The new school will provide a modern, purpose-built learning environment that exceeds the latest educational recommendations.”