Vow to transform derelict school
Community and heritage groups are determined to push ahead with proposals to transform a derelict school in North Yorkshire into a community hub, despite having crucial funding withdrawn.
COMMUNITY AND heritage groups are determined to push ahead with ambitious proposals to transform a derelict school in North Yorkshire into a community hub, despite having crucial funding withdrawn.
Richmondshire Community and Voluntary Action and Richmondshire Building Preservation Trust are joining forces to develop the Richmond Lower School in the hope the project will come to fruition following five years of planning. For half a decade, the voluntary action group has been working on a plan to restore and develop the Grade II-listed building to create a “much-needed, vibrant hub”.
They say it would provide facilities for the community and local voluntary organisations.
The organisation was awarded £155,000 by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) last year to develop the plans for the old grammar school, which was built in 1850.
However, financial support for the organisation and all local community voluntary services and volunteer centres, which was provided by North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups, has been awarded to a new provider, Rural Action Yorkshire, after a competitive process for the funding was introduced last year.
The financial loss has resulted in some “difficult decisions” for the action group, including reevaluation of its plans to restore the Victorian landmark.
The group’s chairman Keith Hall said: “Having successfully secured an HLF grant of £155,000 and a further £25,000 from the Architectural Heritage Fund to take the project to a second-stage bid, we now find ourselves in the position of becoming a trusteeled organisation with no paid staff and limited resources to progress the project.
“This project was part of our strategy to become independent of grants and a sustainable social “Despite this setback, we are still committed.” Keith Hall, chairman of Richmondshire Community and Voluntary Action. enterprise, so we are very disappointed our grant has been lost at this time.
“Despite this setback, we are still committed to finding a way to make sure the restoration of the building goes ahead and that it’s brought back into use for the benefit of the community and local voluntary sector.
“This commitment has led to discussions with the building preservation trust and a meeting of trustees from both organisations to explore how, by joining forces, the project can be developed to a second-stage HLF bid.”
The two groups have now formed a ‘transition committee’, with representation from each trustee board, which is exploring the potential to transfer the project to the building preservation trust.
Members say early indications from grant funders and the current owner of the building, Richmondshire District Council, are encouraging, while still subject to their approval.
Ian Hepworth, chair of the building preservation trust, said: “The board are very keen to take this project forward.
“It is 10 years since we undertook the restoration of Richmond Station. This has been a remarkable success story and we have been looking for another worthwhile project for some time.”
The trust’s treasurer James Gravenor, who has been appointed chair of the transition committee, added: “We are now in discussion with the HLF and other funders to see if we may take the project forward.”
Welcoming the move, district council leader Yvonne Peacock said the authority remained fully committed to finding a sustainable community use for the old school, which is “an important part of Richmond’s heritage”.