Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has taken part in a ground-breaking ceremony at the site of a new multi-million pound primary school in Northallerton.
Rishi Sunak, who is the MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire, joined the milestone occasion, which signalled the start of construction at the Alvertune Road site.
Also in attendance were representatives from North Yorkshire Council, the Dales Academies Trust and the contractors, Hobson and Porter.
The school, which academy leaders have promised will be a “flagship of excellence,” will be run by the Dales Academies Trust and will be based in the northern part of Northallerton, where a major new housing development is being built.
The trust has announced the new educational establishment will be called Oakbridge Church of England Primary School and will begin welcoming its first pupils in September next year. A phased opening will start with reception children in 2024, expanding to the full cohort over seven years.
Speaking about his visit, Rishi Sunak said: “It was great to see work under way on a very important multi-million-pound investment in education in Northallerton.
“This is a vital element of the North Northallerton development project, part of making sure the new housing has the appropriate infrastructure in place to support the families that will be moving here.”
The school’s location is close to the new link road which spans the site earmarked for housing, ensuring access for pupils, staff and other members of the public is convenient.
The site was acquired through a planning condition agreed with a housebuilder developing land nearby and Oakbridge Primary itself will account for investment of more than £7 million when complete.
Joe Booth, business development director at Hobson and Porter, which has been awarded the contract to build the school, said: “Starting work on this new school is an exciting moment for everyone involved with this project. There’s no doubt that once it’s complete, this school will become a hugely valuable part of the local community.”
