STEPS to dispose of the former playing fields of the now closed Horton CoE Primary School, Horton-in-Ribblesdale have been taken by North Yorkshire County Council.

The county council, which owns the playing field next to the former school in Brackenbottom Lane, on the way to Penyghent, carried out a consultation on its plans in the summer and is now seeking the go-ahead of the Secretary of State, which it hopes to have by the end of the year.

The field, which is listed as an ‘asset of community value’ is about an acre. Any redevelopment would require planning permission, which would involve further consultation.

Stuart Carlton, North Yorkshire’s corporate director of children and young people services, said it was too early to speculate what would happen to any proceeds of the sale of the land.

“The consultation took place between June 17 and July 29 this year,” he said.

“We will now apply to the Secretary of State for permission to dispose of the land and are hopeful of securing a decision by the end of the year.

“Once that permission is received our property colleagues will inform Craven District Council of our intention to dispose of an asset of Community Value.

“What happens beyond that point will depend on any proposals made by any local community group, and our consideration of those.

“There is guidance the county council has to follow in terms of future use at other schools of any proceeds secured, but it is too early in the process to speculate on that outcome.”

The primary school, which was last rated ‘outstanding by Ofsted, closed at the end of the school year in 2017 with just 12 children n its roll, despite a campaign by parents, governors, villagers and councillors to keep it open.

At the time, the then county council’s executive member for schools reminded the planning authorities - Craven District Council and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority - of the importance of building new homes to support rural schools.