THE chairman of governors at a Selby school has called on planning bosses and developers to decide over its future.

The Rev Keith Jukes of Selby Abbey Primary School, was speaking following last week's decision by district council planning bosses to refuse Dransfield Properties permission to put up a 45-metre telecommunications mast at the Three Lakes Retail Park.

The planning decision has put on hold a scheme to construct a school building on the mast's current site, to the rear of the Civic Centre, in Portholme Road.

Mr Jukes said: "My motivation is simply the welfare and education of the children.

"While the future of a new school building is up in the air, we're unable to make decisions on development at the school."

He added: "I'd like to express my disappointment at the delay in the decision-making over whether there will be a new school or not."

He said the uncertainty over the scheme meant the school was reluctant to invest at its current site. But he stressed the children's education had been unaffected by the plans.

"This is in no way affecting the quality of education, but it is affecting building work which is badly needed, and which, as a governing body, we want to put in for the children, so they can get the absolute best, " he said.

The plans to put up a new building for the school's 305 pupils are part of Dransfield's scheme to redevelop the Morrison's supermarket, in James Street.

The scheme involves demolishing the current primary school and building a larger store in its place. The school would then be moved to the site behind the Civic Centre.

Coun Steve Shaw-Wright said: "I think where Dransfield were proposing to put the mast was a bit cheeky, given the development that's going on there."

He added: "If we're going to move it, and we have to move it if we want the new primary school, I'm sure there's a better location."

Dransfield Properties boss Mark Dransfield said he would investigate other possible sites, including the Onyx depot off Bawtry Road.