Forest school and events venue in woodland granted planning permission despite opposition
Plans for woodland to be converted into an events and camping site have been retrospectively approved, despite local opposition.
Wrekin Forest School positioned in Crudgington Moor Road, originally started more than 10 years ago as an education site, and now also hosts festivals, weddings and birthday parties.
Former primary school teacher and applicant Judith Ann Udale said that she converted the woodland at her sister’s farm into a forest school as an alternative to classroom teaching.
The site consists of a ‘marquee barn and catering hub’, shepherds huts, shower block and a compost toilet.
The applicant states that no permanent walls exist in any structures and some have tin/corrugated roofing and wooden doors.
Telford & Wrekin Council has granted retrospective planning for the site for the change of use from woodland to forest school, events, camping and glamping.
Permission has been granted for a maximum of 10 tents pitches/glamping units and car parking.
Schools, playgroups and home education sessions are held at the forest school, with holiday clubs and birthday parties also being held at the venue.
The Crudgington site has held weddings and celebrations since August 2017 and is ‘aimed at those people who want an affordable celebration at the same time as having a bohemian, eco-friendly style event’.
The applicant says that this year 14 events are planned, restricted to 150 attendees, with four per year using a main field which caters for 200 people.
“We have taken steps to ensure noise pollution is kept to a minimum,” said the planning applicant.
Camping has been held on the site since 2019, with eight non-electric pitches currently in use.
There is no electric on the site, but it does have solar powered lighting which also warms water for the kitchen and shower.
The campsite was extended last year to provide a playing area for children.
Several residents of Crudgington objected to the retrospective planning application raising concerns about the traffic generated by the development on Crudgington Moor Road.
They also raised concerns about noise from the site, including firework displays and loud music with livestock nearby.
“The operating times are excessive and leave residents no time for peace and quiet,” one objector said.
“The school by its own admission operates up to seven times a week across most of the year and into the early hours if a wedding is on. Several complaints by residents have already been received by the school for excessive noise in the early hours and I have also brought it up with Waters Upton Parish Council.”
Kynnersley Parish Council supported the application subject to conditions and suggested that proprietors should drive no more than 10 miles per hour when approaching the site.
They also suggested that an informal one-way system could be introduced to avoid cars passing entering from Crudgington and leaving via Kynnersley.
Telford & Wrekin Council’s highways department objected to the plans and said that Crudgington Moor Road has ‘structural defects’.
The highways department added that there was also a lack of formal passing places for vehicles to safely pass along the road.
The plans were approved with the conditions that the site can only be used for events 28 days a year and for a maximum of 150 people at each event.
No sound amplifying equipment is to be allowed after 11pm and fireworks are only used three times a year.
