A VILLAGE school built in the wrong place looks likely to stay put - despite a planning wrangle.

The newly-opened £410,000 Grewelthorpe CE Primary School, near Ripon, North Yorkshire, was built four-and-a-half metres to the south and two metres to the west of plans originally tabled with North Yorkshire County Council.

But members of the county planning committee are being advised to let the school stay where it is, when they meet at Northallerton tomorrow.

Councillors are recommended to grant retrospective planning permission for the scheme on its existing site.

Five letters expressing concern about the situation were sent to the council and there were three letters of support.

Objectors said the re-sited building had a significant impact on their privacy. And there was also an impact on enjoyment of gardens through loss of sunlight and skyline.

Planning officer Eric Matthews said: "Some loss of skyline has clearly occurred and that section of the garden of High Garth closest to the school will be in shadow for much longer periods of the year.

"Any loss of light for the majority of the property would, however, be minimal, largely because of distances involved."

He said, on balance, the present building has a lesser impact on the scale and character of Grewelthorpe and the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.