New outdoor learning space for Pannal pupils as part of Yorkshire Water investment

Pupils at Pannal Primary School can now enjoy a revamped outdoor space, delivered by Yorkshire Water and Mott Macdonald Bentley as part of a wider £15m sewer network upgrade in and around Pannal. 

In just one day, contract partners Mott Macdonald Bentley and Yorkshire Water colleagues stripped overgrown vegetation and transformed a section of the school’s outdoor space. This included installing new bark flooring, building new raised beds and wooden benches, and filling and lining existing planters. 

The new space will be used by the school for outdoor learning and cultivating plants.  

Amanda Wolfram, Pannal Primary School headteacher, said: “Our sincere thanks to the volunteers who dedicated their time and effort to creating these wonderful planters and benches for our children. We are so grateful for their hard work and support. The children will benefit from, and enjoy them, for many years to come.” 

Pamela Ajayi, project manager at Yorkshire Water, said: “While we’re working to make our network resilient for future growth, it is brilliant to be able to work with the local community on projects that have an equally long-term impact. Hopefully the students get a lot of use out of the new outdoor space and have plenty of fun learning and growing.” 

Georgina Bell, operations administrator at Mott Macdonald Bentley, added: "We were really pleased to play a part in transforming this outdoor space. Through the fantastic efforts of our volunteers and the generous donations from our supply chain partners, Jewson and AWS Nationwide, we were able to turn the children's ideas into reality. Seeing their vision come to life and creating a space they can be proud of has been a truly rewarding experience." 

The school sits next to Pannal Green, where a wastewater storage tank is being installed as part of the £15m upgrade that began in April this year. It aims to expand and strengthen the existing network in response to new housing developments in outer Harrogate. 

The scheme will see a number of new assets built in and around Pannal:  

• A wastewater pumping station on Spring Lane, and one at Harlow Carr Gardens 
• Two storage tanks on Fulwith Mill Lane and Pannal Green, which will hold a combined two million litres of wastewater and rainwater. 
• 5km of new sewer  

The additions to the network will build extra capacity to help manage additional flows. 

In line with the scheme's progression, there will be a road closure in place on Yew Tree Lane for five days from 5 October, to enable the installation of a section of the new wastewater pipeline. Local residents have been informed of the closure. 

This is the final part of the pipeline to be installed and will connect the network to the new Spring Lane pumping station, which is scheduled for completion in February 2027. 

Customers wishing to keep track of the £15m project can do so via a dedicated web page. 

Additional Yorkshire Water projects taking place in Harrogate include a phosphorous removal project at Harrogate North wastewater treatment works, which will improve the health of the River Nidd. Works in the centre of town around Crescent Road to replace clean water pipes will reduce the chance of bursts, leaks, and supply interruptions for local customers.