The likelihood of a new free special needs school and town park area has been revealed during an update more than a year on from when the proposals were first introduced.

In the middle of last year, concept images and the first details of how the old Grammar School and college site in Northallerton would be used were revealed. 

This included a free special needs school named Springwell Northallerton and a public park, which would include a turf-roofed pavilion surrounded by a mown grass circle, with native woodland and wildflower meadow.

The former Northallerton Grammar School siteThe former Northallerton Grammar School site (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) These first ideas about the site, which were backed by councils, MPs and education trusts across North Yorkshire, confirmed that the Wellspring Academy Trust, which controls 31 schools in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, would run the site and would work 'as soon as possible' to open the school.

The old Grammar School buildings on Grammar School Lane in Northallerton have been empty since 2021 when the town’s secondary school pupils moved to the old Allertonshire School site in Brompton Road. The rebuilding of the school was secured with a £8.7m grant from the Department for Education.

Meanwhile, the public park was an idea that was presented to Northallerton Town Council in October 2023 as part of ideas to introduce green spaces that are accessible to the public.

The former Northallerton Grammar School siteThe former Northallerton Grammar School site (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) Now, 18 months on from this initial concept, an update has been shared about the likelihood of both the school and the park going ahead have been shared in an update. 

The Department of Education confirmed that it had received the transfer of the former grammar school site from North Yorkshire Council and that they have appointed technical advisers for the project who will complete a feasibility study for the proposed new free SEND school.

Plans for the public park that were shown to Northallerton Town CouncilPlans for the public park that were shown to Northallerton Town Council (Image: PLANS) An update about the Northallerton site has also been issued by Northallerton Town Council - which said that it has been "lobbying for public access to the playing fields at the former Grammar School Site, which has been fenced off since the school moved".

The site was registered as an Asset of Community Value in December 2021 - which has seen the town council engaged with North Yorkshire Council and the Department for Transport ever since.

While the free SEND school is progressing, the town council has said that the needs of the school are of "utmost priority" compared to the public park, but it still hopes that proposals for community green space come to fruition in the future.

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A spokesperson for Northallerton Town Council said: "An image of what the park could look like was prepared and shared with the public, to show a vision of what could be created, but no plans have been submitted

"The DfE has agreed to put a new SEND school on the site, NYC has transferred the site to the Department for Education and steps to develop this are now underway, with partner Wellspring Academy Trust

"Northallerton Town Council is actively engaged with this process, in the hope that there may be an opportunity for some public space in the future, but appreciates the needs of the school are the utmost priority at this stage."