Ongoing

Converting a disused building into a community asset

The Old Grammar School, Richmond

Natalie Partridge

Research Associate

Natalie Partridge

Research Associate

Background

Delivered in partnership with the Richmondshire Building Preservation Trust (RBPT), this project involved designing an extensive bespoke community consultation, which took place between June and October 2024, to shape the future of The Old Grammar School, Richmond.

The NICRE team spent significant time in Richmond to develop an understanding of community needs, local culture and provision, and the importance of The Old Grammar School site to the residents.

Community needs were assessed via a combination of public and youth consultation. Analysis of the findings was carried out in November 2024. The Operation Regeneration team then appraised all proposed uses, to tailor a cohesive site offer that will serve the community for generations to come. Following this, a detailed business plan was drawn up for consideration by the building owners, North Yorkshire Council (NYC).

RBPT will be attending County Hall at the start of February 2025 to present this business plan. Subject to a formal decision by NYC, the Operation Regeneration team will be delighted to announce the plans for the future of The Old Grammar School, likely in the spring of 2025.

Find out more here
Richmond With RBPT

Methods

The consultation took a mixed-methods, qualitative approach including:

  • An online survey, which was live for two months and resulted in 614 free-text responses.
  • Drop-ins in five locations in Richmond and Catterick in August 2024, with suggestion forms which gathered 191 handwritten responses.
  • Open day in September 2024 with a questionnaire via a purpose-built app - 47 free-text responses.
  • 10 stakeholder interviews, which took place in August and September 2024.
  • Two solutions-focussed stakeholder workshops in September 2024, with eight attendees from businesses and the visitor economy at the first event, 26 attendees from community organisations at the second event.
  • Engagement with young people in September and October 2024 which incorporated:
    • One workshop with Girl Guides
    • One workshop with a home-educated children’s group
    • 1,060 secondary school pupils fed into a Dragons' Den-style event
    • 50+ typed responses from primary school pupils (individual responses and at a classroom-level) years 1-6.
Market Photo

Outcomes

The consultation responses were thematically analysed by NICRE researchers to identify a variety of preferred uses of the site to address gaps in provision, or areas of community need, in Richmond.

Options were then appraised by both NICRE and RBPT for:

  • Suitability in the building
  • Suitability in the surrounding area
  • Compatibility with limitations of the site
  • Appropriateness to community need
  • Community benefit
  • Environmental and social impact
  • Impact on equality
  • Likelihood of being commercially viable or sustainably supported by other commercial uses.

An indicative site plan was then produced to show how the space might provide as many of these options as possible.

Final proposed uses will be announced in 2025.

Richmond Hall

Partners

Related items

Find additional information about this project by following the links below:

Case study on The Old Grammar School, Richmond Find out more about Richmondshire Building Preservation Trust

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