Devon's most vulnerable children can keep learning at a riverside school farm after councillors backed continued use of the site despite flood risk concerns.
The Greater Horseshoe School asked Teignbridge District Council for permission to keep using its 40-acre (16-hectare) farm at Chipley Mill, near Bickington. Students with complex needs take part in horticulture, animal care and outdoor learning there.
Planners had recommended refusing the application because of flood concerns and a lack of information about potential impacts on protected species. But councillors heard the school had operated there since 2018 without incident.
They were also told the school had "robust" procedures to respond to flood warnings, including evacuating students or closing the site when necessary, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service, external.
Head teacher Peta Hewitt told the committee many pupils attended because few similar schools exist in Devon, and some viewed it as their "final chance" in education. She said: "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."
Councillors also heard updated figures suggested the flood risk was lower than previously thought. Stuart Rogers urged colleagues not to take a "computer says no" option, while Kevin Smith said: "We should apply some common sense." Phil Bullivant added: "In a different location, we would be shouting from the rooftops about the service this school provides."
The planning committee agreed, concluding the benefits of the school outweighed the risks. Eight members voted in favour, with one abstention.
Follow BBC Devon on X, external, Facebook, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to [email protected], external.
Devon School Farm Keeps Pupils Despite Flood Risk