The Oaklea Trust has pulled the plug on its plans for the future of the former Alston Primary School site.
The building has stood empty since the school was moved to a single site alongside the town’s secondary school, Samuel Kings.
Among the suggestions for the former primary school were a community hub to incorporate things like hall hire, a youth club base, community cafe, shared facilities and public and private rental space.
However, today Alex Wolfenden, director, on behalf of Oaklea Trust, said in a statement: “Following detailed consultation with the community, potential users of the building and significant investment in financial forecasting, the Oaklea Trust has made the very difficult decision not to progress the community asset transfer of the old primary school in Alston.
“The community asset transfer process, through Cumbria County Council, invites groups to create a detailed business plan, encouraging the consideration of the benefits a building can bring, the funding needed to create a useable space and the ongoing costs for running a building, and its services.
“The significant costs involved in renovating the building in addition to the ongoing running costs have led us to the decision not to progress.
“We would like to thank the community for their support and give special thanks to the local steering group members who have given so much time and commitment to the project.”
