PLANS to convert a historic school into council offices and community venue have taken a step forward.

Richmond Lower School closed last summer after the recently completed multi-milion pound redevelopment of the upper school site on Darlington Road, Richmond.

The future of the school building has been in doubt since its closure - but Richmondshire District Council has been interested in moving in for some time.

Now the Department of Education has given permission for it to be decommissioned as a school building, allowing the district council to begin negotiations with North Yorkshire County Council on its new use.

District council officers have already worked on plans for the move which will be funded by the sale of the existing council buildings.

Offices at Swale House, Frenchgate and Friars Wynd – and the Richmond Community Office – will close, bringing all council services together on to one site for the first time in the council’s history.

Richmondshire District Council leader John Blackie said: "This news means we can press ahead with our existing plans for this historic school site.

"For the first time we will be able to create fit for purpose offices for our staff and councillors to work from.

“An added bonus will be providing a Community House, where a number of voluntary and community organisations serving Richmondshire are intending to co-locate.

“All these organisations will benefit from working closely with each other and the council on the same site - it’s a massive benefit to the Council, its staff and many of the various community groups in Richmond."

The district council has been looking to move out of Swale House for a number of years as the listed building is unsuitable for the amount of people who work there.

Coun Blackie added that rooms in the building - including the Grand Hall - would also be available for hire by the community for public and private use.

Richmond Grammar School moved to the site in 1850, and the original building was extended many times.

The grammar school - of medieval original and re-founded under a charter of 1567 - had formerly occupied a small building in a churchyard.