RESIDENTS of Burton-in-Lonsdale are exploring the potential for a community-led housing scheme on the site of the former primary school.

A meeting last month attracted 80 people who voted unanimously for the principle of proceeding with an initiative to provide homes on the land.

The school closed in 2014 after 160 years in existence with children moving to schools nearby.

The school was named after Richard Thornton, a 19th century entrepreneur, who donated money for the school to be built in 1853.

It was opened in January 1854 and further extended in 1932.

Governors, parents and staff had fought for over a year to save the school, but North Yorkshire County Council chiefs decided it was no longer viable.

Headteacher Chris Norris had been at the helm for 18 years.

Speakers at the scoping meeting included Emily Grogan, Craven District Council’s rural housing enabler and James Newton, of Native Architects Ltd.

After discussion, attendees voted unanimously in support and a significant number offered to get involved in some way.

The next step is expected to be a housing needs survey to determine whether the assumed need is reflected by local residents.

Councillor Ian Thompson, Craven District Council’s ward member for Bentham, attended the meeting and said: “There appears to be a great deal of support for this scheme among local residents. Community-led housing puts communities in the driving seat and allows local people to have a say in their own housing developments.

“This is an opportunity for the community in Burton in Lonsdale to consider the type of housing they need and decide on a scheme which suits them best.”

Any group of residents can get together to deliver community led housing – it could be a local PTA, a parish council or simply like-minded people who want to help their village.

The group must then establish itself as a Community Land Trust, with the help of Craven District Council. The Trust can then develop a site itself or choose to work with a housing association.

As a Trust, the community is then able to have a say on the tenure, size and scale of the homes and who occupies them. The Trust gets an income from the homes, which can be used for the benefit of the village.

Craven District Council has been allocated £606,000 from the Government’s Community Housing Fund to help communities establish themselves as Community Land Trusts and progress with community-led housing schemes.

Anyone interested in the scheme is invited to contact either Emily Grogan or Jenny Wood at Craven District Council for more information, by emailing egrogan@cravendc.gov.uk or jmwood@cravendc.gov.uk.