Plan to demolish and rebuild North Yorkshire school approved

Michael Syddall Church of England Primary School in Catterick Village will be completely rebuilt following the decision.

The current facilities, which include the school building, a multi-use games area, playing fields, and a 12-spot car park, will be replaced with a new single-storey, L-shaped structure.

Designed for sustainability and energy efficiency, the new school will feature buff brick walls with grey and blue accents. Its new school hall will stand at a height of 9.2m, while the main building will be 5.4m tall.

To lessen visual and noise disturbances, the school grounds will be landscaped with new trees, hedges, and shrubs.

Current car park provision will be expanded to 19 spaces, including one disabled space, and 20 for cycles.

Despite these changes, the number of students and staff is expected to remain the same, with 252 pupils and 20 full-time equivalent staff.

Pedestrian access will be preserved at both the north and south ends.

A Community Use Scheme will regulate continued after-hours access to the school's sports facilities.

The redevelopment has been carefully planned to mitigate any potential flood risk, as the site is located in Flood Zone 3a.

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The new school will incorporate sustainable drainage systems and soakaways.

An arboricultural impact assessment identified six trees and parts of two tree groups for removal, but the tree planting plan is expected to provide a biodiversity net gain of 11.1 per cent.

The plan has received general support from the community, particularly for the improved facilities, energy efficiency measures, and consideration of residential impacts.

Residents' concerns about additional floodlighting, parking and traffic issues, and noise and visual impact have been addressed through conditions of the planning approval.

The construction will be carried out in phases to ensure the existing school remains operational during the build.

According to reports from the council, the new school aligns with the Richmondshire Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework, which promote sustainable development and the enhancement of community assets.

The Department for Education, represented by Bowmer + Kirkland, submitted the application.