RESIDENTS are being asked to suggest what should happen to an unwanted school building.

Councillors in Richmond want to know what local people would like to see happen to the lower school, in Station Road, when the buildings are vacated in three or four years' time.

The property is part of the split site Richmond School, which won a £19.2m grant to redevelop its Darlington Road campus to accommodate all 1,650 students. Building work is due to start next year.

North Yorkshire County Council is then expected to sell the lower school, part of which is a listed building.

Councillor Stuart Parsons, chairman of Richmondshire District Council's environment committee and a town and county councillor, urged people to contact him with positive suggestions on the future of the buildings.

"We want to go into discussions with the county council with an idea of what local people feel about the future use of lower school," he said.

"Someone has already suggested that the old grammar school building could become a guild hall but we need other ideas, too."

Coun Parsons can be contacted on (01748) 823456 or via Richmond town hall or the district council headquarters at Swale House, Richmond.