An eight-year campaign to build a village school has taken a major step forward.

Governors of Grewelthorpe Church of England Primary School, near Ripon, have been given outline planning approval to convert the old school into a home.

The current 126-year-old school in the village's main street is separated from a temporary classroom by 52 outdoor steps. A replacement school has already been earmarked for a site on a hillside overlooking the old one.

Recently, North Yorkshire County Council approved £200,000 towards the cost of the £410,000 project.

Fundraisers in the village have already secured thousands of pounds for the project and cash from the sale of the old school building will further boost finances.

Meanwhile, planners have imposed a condition on granting permission for converting the old school into a home. Harrogate Borough Council is insisting that at least two parking spaces within the site should be provided before occupation of the property.

Planners say they have imposed the condition to ensure off-street parking in a restricted village street location in the interests of free-flowing traffic and highway safety.

The school has 45 pupils on its roll and has been operating in cramped conditions for years.