A SCHOOL car park expansion plan has raised concerns from North Yorkshire planning officials.

Planners from both Hambleton District and North Yorkshire County Council are questioning the need for Easingwold school to provide about 60 extra parking spaces.

North Yorkshire County Council planning officer Eric Matthews said: "Providing 60 extra spaces does seem a lot."

He said the issue was not about scarce land, which, as has been reported in the Evening Press this week, is becoming a problem in the area.

Mr Matthews said: "This application raises the whole issue of the school's travel plan.

"There have been particular problems with other schools, such as Sherburn-in-Elmet, where ever-increasing car numbers have led to problems with off-site parking."

Hambleton District Council planning officer James Thorpe was also concerned.

He said: "We are supposed to be promoting alternative forms of transport, but this is almost encouraging extra cars to be used."

But the move was defended by assistant head John Butcher.

He said: "We are meeting an official from North Yorkshire County Council to discuss the travel plan next month, and promote car sharing and public transport use for our pupils and staff as much as possible. But the nature of our school, with pupils from as far north as Thirsk and sometimes as far south as Selby means that sometimes there is no option but to use a car."

Updated: 10:29 Saturday, April 12, 2003