Q: Why do you want to create the Training Café and Farm?
A: 95% of adults with learning disabilities are unemployed. Whilst it is illegal to discriminate against individuals with disabilities, it is clear that people with SEND are either not getting into employment, or not sustaining employability. However, organisations such as the National Development Team for Inclusion (DTI), Mencap, and the Government assert that with the right opportunities, preparation, and support, nearly all young people with SEND can transition into employment. People with SEND often have unique talents and abilities that when properly supported, can lead to significant contributions in the workplace. Workplaces that accommodate individuals with SEND often become more adaptable and innovated benefitting all employees by fostering a flexible and creative environment.
Our strategy, aimed at enriching the educational experience for our children, underscores the urgent need to address the lack of support in accessing employment opportunities as they transition to adulthood.
Our proposals to build a Training Café and Farm will build on the Blue Tangerine Federation’s extensive experience of providing education and training in horticulture and animal for children SEND and dynamically increase its scope, impact and training and employment opportunities.
Q: Who is the Café and farm for?
A: The Training Café and Farm will be a training facility for the pupils of the Blue Tangerine Federation (St Luke’s, Redbourn and The Collett School, Hemel Hempstead), a destination venue for the villagers of Redbourn, a place to grab a coffee and snack for parents and taxi drivers dropping off and collecting pupils at the beginning and end of the school day and for members visiting the Redbourn Recreation Centre and as an educational site for other primary and secondary schools located in Hertfordshire.
Q: Where will the Café and Farm be located?
A: The café will be sited alongside St Luke’s School in Redbourn, on our existing land and will be accessible through the main school entrance and via a gate off the public right of way, which runs along the western boundary of the school.
The farm will be sited on the school’s land, to the North of the school building and will extend the existing provision for animals and horticulture. It is important to us that our pupils can easily access the Training Café and Farm during the school day.
Q: When will the Training Café be open?
A: The Café will be open to the public Monday to Sunday, 8.30am to 5pm.
Q: When will the Training Farm be open?
A: During term time the Training Farm will be open to the public on weekends, 9am – 5pm. During school holidays we hope to offer extended farm opening hours and special themed events, for example Easter egg hunts on the farm and Christmas themed events such as nativity plays with real animals. Focusing the public access to the farm outside of school days and term times will mean there are significantly more car parking spaces to accommodate visitors.
Q: When will the development be constructed, and what impact will this have on the school and local residents?
A: It is expected construction will take place in 2025 for a period of 6 months. A construction management plan will be prepared and implemented via a pre-commencement planning condition which will set out the construction strategy and how this will minimise impacts on local residents and the school.
Q: Will there be enough parking and how will you prevent visitors parking on the surrounding residential streets?
A: Additional parking will be provided for the café and school to ensure there is enough parking capacity to serve the visitors and staff. We currently have a transport consultant on board assessing the transport related impacts. Where additional trips and servicing requirements for the training café take place, it is anticipated that these will be primarily outside of peak drop off and pick up times.
Q: I am concerned about the increased activity on site in terms of noise and traffic, how will residential amenity be protected?
A: We have a noise and transport consultant on board assessing the potential impacts on residential amenity. The proposals will principally enhance and support the existing education function and use of the site and will not therefore significantly alter the existing relationship with neighbouring properties with regard to amenity
Q: How will the design of the proposals sit within the sensitive landscape setting?
A: The café building will be finished to materials that reflect the local character and are prevalent in the wider area, and the massing will similarly commensurate to the existing school buildings on site. Additionally, significant hard and soft landscape improvements will be implemented throughout the site such as tree and hedgerow planting, a new pond, hibernacula and log piles, sculptures etc