AN ambitious plan to turn a former school into an eco-friendly community hall is likely to fail.

Residents of Bransdale, in the North York Moors National Park, want to erect a 12 metre high wind turbine erected and fit solar energy panels to the old school.

They are so keen to go ahead that they launched an appeal to raise £77,000 for the work.

But the national park's planners feel the scheme should be refused due to the size and siting of the turbine. The matter went before its planning committee yesterday, but a decision was deferred until next month's meeting.