Combs Infant School Nursery Classroom Building
“Life is a journey. How we travel is really up to us. We can just flow with the tide or follow our own dreams.” Paulo Coelho
Few things lift the spirits more than seeing an inspirational transformation taking place which could enhance the life of hundreds, or thousands of people in the local area. Evolution, in progress.
This teeny tiny little chapel, owned by a Methodist Church and leased out to the local infant school has been a special place for many familes and maintains that romantic image of a village school which really cares about its 24 young pupils.
It truly is, a special place.
Located in a Conservation area of a National Park; it seemed unlikely that the headteacher and the govenors were ever going to be able to expand their little school. The planners rejected every concept thrown at them. A gritty two and half year battle ensued which resulted in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform the parish hall into an iconic and thought-provoking place. One which not only respects and admires the past but also looks towards our future… with the most cutting edge primary school eco-building available in the UK. A perfect juxtaposition of two eras.
Initially refused outright by the Planning officer on the grounds that “the materials and design were not in keeping with other heritage style buildings of the local area“; this unusual style of building was an extremely tough-sell to the Peak National Park.
The school stood firm, fuelled by their conviction to give the children something of real value and refused to accept the planners reccommendation of bricks, blocks, steel and concrete (very high carbon footprint). Instead, they argued that a sensitive site such as theirs should be the first to promote & celebrate progression within architecture and instead install a low-impact, locally constructed eco-building which is crafted from locally sourced timber and lends itself to it’s natural surroundings.
The headteacher and a group of passionate parents took this to committee whereby they made their case and argued that “…architects of the heritage style buildings of which you refer to had no concept of climate change and habitat depletion. We now do. If we are to halt or reverse the effects of both pressing environmental issues we must build for the future, not for our past.”
We all maintained our perspective that “The only buildings the National Park should be concerned with must be the most likely to protect and conserve what we have.”
Fortunately, the National Park agreed with us. Sustainability comes first.
Our children are the generation most likely to experience the effects of climate change and habitat loss. Now is the time to evoke a sense of awe and wonder in our children and give them a connection to the natural world. Curves and contemporary eco-buildings is a good place to start.
So if you are a primary or infant shool and you have a vision or dream for your future development but fear you might not obtain planning approval please don’t give up all hope! The future is in our hands, and our children will most definitely thank us for taking the time to consider, carefully, the environment we’d like to create for them to learn in.
You do not need to flow with the tide. Follow your own dreams. The time is now.
Enjoy the sun!!!
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