Students from Abbey College, Ramsey gave a presentation to the Huntingdonshire District Council’s development control panel last week about their zero carbon master plan project. The presentation enabled development control members to find out more about the project and to hear about the young people’s experiences and what they have learnt. 

More than 600 young people from Abbey College, Ramsey, have been involved in this exciting project to learn about and help shape a master plan for a zero carbon rural regeneration scheme.

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.
 
The students 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 incorporated site visits, the 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.  

Steve Ingram, Head of Planning said; “We thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and were impressed by the ideas that the young people have come up with. By attending the meeting it was also a great opportunity for them to see the council chamber and where decisions are made”. 

Claire Burton Senior Policy Officer for Regeneration Projects said; “The project has been a great success and has provided nearly 100 hours of learning for the most enthusiastic 30 students, 40 hours for around 25 students and five hours of learning for a further 550 students, over 6500 hours of learning altogether. A huge achievement and a number of the students involved have now expressed an interest in a career in planning or architecture.”

Last month the students invited the public to view the plans which could influence real-life development in Ramsey at an exhibition. Over 60 people attended to see the work the students had done and to have their say on the plans that may affect their town.