Richmondshire Building Preservation Trust (RBPT), the charity behind community enterprise The Station, announces renewed feasibility studies into the Grade II listed, at-risk Old Grammar School in Richmond.
RBPT is a heritage restoration charity based in the historic market town of Richmond, North Yorkshire. Formed in 2003, the Grade II* listed old Richmond Station is their flagship project, which they saved from dereliction and unsympathetic development to create a vibrant community enterprise. Over 16 years on, The Station continues to thrive and now employs over 75 people; contributing close to £1 million into the local economy in gross wages. Following a recent rebrand, the charity now has their eyes set on their next major project…
The Old Grammar School sits just over the river from The Station and is in a poor state of repair, with no current or recent use. With support from North Yorkshire Council and their UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme, RBPT have received seed funding to allow them to recommence feasibility studies into the site; to determine options for restoration and its potential future uses.
Learning lessons from their previous studies (which concluded in 2019), RBPT plan to work alongside some of the best academic institutions in the North. Within the studies, extensive community engagement will be undertaken to fully understand what the communities of Richmond and beyond would like to see.
Chris Brown, Chief Executive Officer of RBPT said: “We are delighted to have the support of North Yorkshire Council as we recommence studies into the Old Grammar School. At the core of our charity is building preservation, so it is our absolute duty to ensure this magnificent, listed building is preserved for future generations”.
North Yorkshire Council’s Corporate Director of Community Development, Nic Harne, said: “We are pleased to fund this feasibility study to allow Richmondshire Building Preservation Trust to explore options for the future of what could become an extremely important facility in the community. The trust have done fantastic work with the old Richmond Station and I look forward to the results of this study. I would encourage everyone with an interest in this site to take advantage of opportunities to engage with the Trust on this project in the coming months.”
Further announcements will be made shortly, as studies progress.