A CONSULTATION is to take place on plans to expand Norton Primary School to a second £4.5m site North Yorkshire County Council is proposing to build an additional school at Brooklyn, in Langton Road, after an increase in pupil numbers by more than 100 in the last four years.

Norton Primary currently has a school roll of 516 pupils which is set to increase to 537 by September due to demographic changes.

By 2019/20 the total pupil roll is expected to be 593 and this could increase to 642 if current housing development goes ahead.

Although the school and county council have worked together in recent years to create around 90 additional places through extensions and internal changes, at the current site in Grove Street, further extensions are no longer feasible.

Purpose-built accommodation for nursery through to Year Two would be provided at the Brooklyn site, while accommodation for Years Three to Six would remain on the existing main school site.

Costs of developing the site have yet to be evaluated, but based on other projects are estimated to be about £4.5m. Capital funding would be provided by central Government, along with developer contributions from any new housing developments in the town.

Consideration would also be given to the community organisations which currently use the Brooklyn site, including the Brownies and Guides.

Pete Dwyer, North Yorkshire’s Corporate Director for the Children and Young People’s Service, said: “Consultations so far have highlighted significant support for the proposal.

“We share the confidence of Norton’s parents that the leadership and governance at Norton Community Primary School is strong and able to support the provision of additional high quality school places for the town’s children.

He added: "Of course we must decide finally on the best solution for Norton going forward into the future and we must ensure we are fully informed of all the options in order to make the right decision."

For more information, Go to northyorks.gov-uk/nortonpupilplaces