North Devon rural skills project expands with new facilities
The new buildings will support disadvantaged students at Wholelife Project Farm in Barnstaple
A rural skills company in North Devon which has been helping disadvantaged students for 13 years is getting new buildings.
The Wholelife Project runs a farm which provides placements for adults and young people with social, emotional, behavioural and learning disabilities on the A361 between Barnstaple and HM Chivenor on the banks of the River Taw.
It asked North Devon Council for permission to remove a kitchen/dining building, storage containers and polytunnel and to put them all in a new building which would also include an area for growing vegetables, a workshop and commercial kitchen to teach catering skills.
Next to this commercial building would be a new larger dwelling for the applicant, which would free up an existing property to provide overnight respite care for clients.
The toilet/changing area would be updated for clients who need help with personal care.
The proposals originally included tourism accommodation but this element has been scrapped.
The scale of the residential dwelling was also scaled down removing the first floor, lowering the eaves and reducing the footprint of the building.
The need for suitable accommodation on the site for security was acknowledged by planning officers.
Three letters in favour of the development were submitted to North Devon Council which said the design and scale of the buildings were acceptable and which supported the work and activities carried out.
Although it also teaches horticulture and animal husbandry, the Wholelife Project said cooking is its most popular activity and it had been contracted to sell sustainably local, healthy products made by the students.
It plans to freeze meals for local families affected by food poverty.
The company partners with Petroc College to provide internships allowing students to train in its kitchens.
The long term aim is to provide jobs.
Planning permission was granted by officers under delegated powers.
They said that although the countryside location resulted in some conflict with the Local Development Plan, they supported it because of the nature of the business, its public transport links and nearby cycle routes, combined with the positive nature of the work serving people with specialist needs.