Teinbridge school farm future secured after councillors weigh flood risks
The future of a specialist school farm near Bickington has been decided after councillors heard it was a lifeline for vulnerable children, despite concerns about the risks posed by the nearby River Lemon
Some of Devon’s most vulnerable children, described as taking their ‘last chance’ in education, have been told they can continue learning at a riverside school farm which has offered them a lifeline.
The Greater Horseshoe School applied to Teignbridge District Council for permission to continue using the 40-acre site, which features livestock and gardens.
The land beside the River Lemon is designated as being at risk of flooding, and members of the council’s planning committee were warned they were dealing with a ‘risk to life’.
But they also heard that the school had rigorous procedures in place to manage the risk.
Members were urged not to adopt a ‘computer says no’ approach to the application and instead to consider the wider picture.
The Greater Horseshoe School says it helps young people with complex needs towards a better future.
The school farm at Chipley Mill, near Bickington, is a ‘satellite’ of the main school at Heathfield and comprises woodland areas and pasture.
Staff and students are developing it to include horticulture, livestock, an outdoor kitchen, an orchard, wildlife areas and workshops.
Its website says: “The opportunities such a school farm can bring to our young people are many.
“Explorative, nurturing practical activities can help release the ‘feel-good’ hormones, helping relieve stress, rebuild neurological pathways and enabling our students to engage with learning.”
The site has been in use since 2018, and the committee heard there had been no incidents of flooding during that time.
Members also heard that the school had ‘robust’ procedures in place to respond to flood warnings, including evacuating the site or not opening it at all.
But members also heard warnings from officers about the potential dangers of flooding, which could happen at any time and, they said, was becoming more likely as a result of climate change.
Headteacher Peta Hewitt urged the committee to allow the school to continue using the site.
She said students, many of whom were on a ‘final chance’ of education, travelled from across Devon to attend the school because there were not enough places like it in the county.
And she stressed: “The safety of these vulnerable students is our number one priority. The children are taught to treat the river with respect.
“This location is a lifeline for vulnerable and complex young people in Devon and their families.”
The farm has previously been used as a caravan site, and in 2022 a previous application for its use as a school was rejected because of the flooding risk.
A planning inspector subsequently dismissed the school’s appeal.
In November 2025, Teignbridge planners discussed enforcement action to stop the school using the site and gave it until May 2026 to submit a formal application to continue.
Members of the committee also heard that the latest figures showed flooding risks to be less acute than they had been considered when the proposals were previously assessed.
Cllr Stuart Rogers (Con, Ashburton and Buckfastleigh) urged his colleagues not to take the ‘computer says no’ option, while Cllr Kevin Smith (Lib Dem, Kenn Valley) said: “We should apply some common sense.”
Cllr Phil Bullivant (Con, Bradley) added: “In a different location we would be shouting from the rooftops about the service this school provides.”
He said the benefits offered by the school outweighed the risks, and that the school already had procedures in place to address any flooding issues.
Planning officers had recommended refusal of the application because of the flooding risks and insufficient information about its effects on protected species.
However, eight of the nine committee members voted in favour of the application, with one abstention.