A TOP private school has apologised for failing to consult with the local community before trying to launch a massive expansion programme.

Queen Ethelburga’s College at Thorpe Underwood, near Green Hammerton, is also asking for support as it seeks to lodge a fresh application for new buildings, pointing out that it provides more than 500 jobs for local people.

At the same time, it has produced a glossy brochure to explain how it contributes to the area’s financial well-being and what it is planning to do.

The school’s senior trustee, Brian Martin, has written to people to say that over the years, it had “pretty much tried to keep ourselves to ourselves”.

But he said: “We appreciate we cannot go on in our own little world oblivious to any effect we have on those around us… “We need to reach out better to the local community and learn the lessons from what we did wrong before.”

The Press reported earlier this year how a leaked Harrogate Borough Council document had revealed the school was suspected of 16 breaches of planning controls over the construction of a range of new buildings, including offices and residential accommodation, a new medical centre, a steel-framed stage, extensions to an equestrian centre, a wall to a Secret Garden, pond, fountain and horse sculptures.

The council said it had issued a planning contravention notice on the school’s owners, had reviewed the contraventions and was considering what further action it was to take.

The Press reported last year how a local action group had been formed to fight any further development at the school – “unless it was of reasonable need for school activities and public consultation has taken place”.

Mr Martin said in his letter that the college made a mistake when it submitted a “large and complex” planning application in January 2007.

“We made a mistake, for which we apologise, because the planning advisers we used said ‘No public consultation necessary’.”

“You are probably aware that many people were upset about this.”

He said the college was now about to submit a number of planning applications.

“These applications will regularise existing buildings that currently do not have the correct planning permission, plus provide better new facilities.”

John Goodwin, of Carter Jonas, Harrogate, who acts as planning consultant for the school, said it was in the process of submitting the applications, which were a mixture of retrospective, part-retrospective and new schemes.

Zillah Hopps, clerk to Little Ouseburn, Kirby Hall and Thorpe Underwood Parish Council, said she would welcome better relations and more information from the school, but stressed that the parish could only consider the applications on planning grounds.

She said the applications would be considered at a meeting on September 2.