College site is lost to housing (From Gazette & Herald)

College site is lost to housing

2:43pm Thursday 2nd July 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

Regarding the granting of outline planning application for 13 houses at the former Askham Bryan College premises in Swainsea Lane, Pickering, this at first seems to be a straight forward planning permission for houses on a brownfield site. However, this is not an ordinary brownfield site. This is actually an education site.

Who morally owns the site?

The site and buildings were provided by North Riding County Council some 50 years ago to help young people of both sexes to work in agriculture.

The college, then run jointly by the North, East and West Ridings, was asked to provide teaching staff at this and the other centres at Bedale and York (information from a letter in the Gazette & Herald, June 10, from Sir Peter Newsham).

He continued “might it not be reasonable for it to be handed back to representatives of those who paid for it: the North Yorkshire County Council, North Riding’s successor”.

What is the best use of this site?

This site and the present buildings are surely a community resource. Across the road in Swainsea Lane is Lady Lumley`s School, Northern Leisure Sports facilities and the offices of Community Education, who are all using this school site for education for under-18s and over- 18s. Each year, more and more development takes place on this site. Educational needs are changing all the time.

Surely this Askham Bryan site needs to be kept as a resource for all ages in Ryedale and the Esk Valley for educational courses.

To lose this site from education to housing would be a loss to the community and waste of valuable resources. These days, the carbon investment in the infrastructure of the building, bricks, mortar, glass and equipment must be considered. Last but not least, the student travel elsewhere beyond Northern Ryedale, increasing their carbon footprint, should be noted.

We urge Ryedale District Council not to be hasty in their decision and to consult urgently with North Yorkshire County Council and others.

Judy Dixon, Pickering and District Civic Society

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)