Plans for 'educatering' site with 100 jobs refused

The site near Lympstone would be used for growing food and educating children about where food comes from

Plans to create 100 jobs in a food business that would provide local products for school meals and educate children about food production have been turned down.

The Goosemoor company wanted to build what it calls an "educatering" facility near Lympstone in east Devon, which it said would generate an estimated £15m for the local economy.

The business is based on "providing schools with the specific fresh ingredients to prepare meals at the school".

East Devon District Council planning committee refused the plans with one councillor describing the scheme as "industrial development in the countryside".

The planning application had said the project would have "an emphasis on high-quality and locally-sourced produce".

It also proposed a "cooking classroom", so that schools can pick food from the land and prepare it for eating.

Planning officers acknowledged "social and economic benefits" but concluded in a report before the decision "that they do not outweigh the significant planning, environmental, landscape, and heritage harms identified".

Jamie Walsh is the founder director of Goosemoor Educater which supplies schools with locally-sourced produce

Speaking at the meeting, Jamie Walsh, from Goosemoor, said his firm provided food for more than 145 schools and wanted to expand.

The company is currently based near Dart's Farm, on the edge of Exeter, and Mr Walsh said the project "keeps talent in east Devon and creates opportunities".

He told the planning committee that if the application was refused they would "have no choice but to relocate outside of east Devon".

Speaking against the plans, Anne-Marie Bates, clerk of Woodbury Parish Council, said the scheme would bring "irreversible harm to our cherished landscape".

She added she was also concerned by the prospect of numerous HGV lorries coming to and from the site early in the morning and late at night.

Distribution centre

The plans were supported by some councillors who said there was a clear economic benefit that should not be ignored.

Del Haggerty, Independent, said there would be objections wherever a new site was.

He said: "We've got to look at keeping industry that comes from east Devon in east Devon."

But Eileen Wragg, Liberal Democrat, described the application as "industrial development in the countryside".

She said: "This is dressed up as an education facility when clearly it's a distribution centre."

The plans were refused by seven votes to five, with one abstention.