Over 600 young people from Abbey College have been involved in an exciting project in Ramsey to learn about and help shape a master plan for a zero carbon rural regeneration scheme.
A community event on Saturday 26 January at the George Hotel, Ramsey is taking place to provide residents with an opportunity to see what the students have done and to enable them to have their say. All are welcome to attend between 10 am and 12 noon.
The aim of the project is to engage young people and the wider community in learning how important our environment is and how it needs to be sustained for the future.
Young people from the college are taking part in the project during lessons and through an after-school club named the Ramsey Ecological Development - R.E.D club, and have already gained an understanding of the planning considerations and the environmental issues involved in designing a low carbon rural regeneration model for a local brownfield site.
The project, funded by Fens LeAP LEADER+ and Huntingdonshire District Council, has also incorporated site visits, development of educational curriculum material, and a field trip to learn more about sustainable energy as well as input from specialist advisers, such as environmental architects and planners.
Christina Booth, a Year 10 student from Abbey College and member of the RED club said; “I particularly enjoyed the experience of meeting and learning from professionals and working alongside students from different year groups”.
Working in partnership with QuBE (an integrated planning, urban design and conservation consultancy), Warwick Business Management Limited (a corporate Management and Town Planning consultancy), and Shape East (the centre for architecture and the built environment in the East of England), a programme of lesson plans have been developed to enable the young people to learn about the main considerations for development.
Councillor Peter Bucknell whose executive responsibilities include planning and environment said; “This project is an innovative way in which young people and the wider community can engage in the future sustainable development of their area“.
The project is an exciting opportunity for the whole community not only to be involved to help shape their future but also to lead the way in the development of a green rural regeneration model that can be used by other rural market town communities.