Study centre in Haxey plans move to woodland if North Lincolnshire Council agrees

A POPULAR study centre is looking to expand with a new workshop, lecture room and indoor animal house in Haxey.

But there are objections over its plans to relocate to an area of woodland.

The owners of Haxey Study Centre have submitted plans to North Lincolnshire Council to erect additional buildings and relocate from Rose Cottage to Lupine Woods.

The centre is an established training provider and offers various animal care and conservation courses.

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It has been running for the past 10 years and is utilised by several local authorities to help students requiring individual tutoring.

It caters in particular for children with learning difficulties and vulnerable young adults and children who suffer with autism.

The existing study centre can hold 24 students at a time and that would increase to 36 at the Lupine Woods site.

It is said to have "outgrown" its present site, with the buildings having seen better days.

The applicants, Michael and Angela White, said: "The site is also very fragmented and the present buildings on site are inadequate for the new educational standards and qualifications the centre can now grant."

If the plans are approved, the new facilities would create three teaching staff posts, securing nine full-time teaching jobs in all.

The existing site at Rose Cottage would revert back to a small holding under the plans.

The scheme requires planning permission to retain the shower and toilet block and mobile home at Lupine Woods.

Permission is also needed to construct an animal house, study room with an attached office and a workshop building.

A residential presence on the Lupine Woods site will be required in the form of the existing mobile home.

The study centre hopes to expand its choices of courses in the near future.

Residents Lynn and Ian Cowburn have submitted a letter of objection on the grounds the development is "inappropriate".

They say: "Further building would increasingly spoil the appearance of the historic landscape, having impact upon the wildlife."

Rod Fielding, another resident, has also objected to the plans.

He said: "I do not agree that Haxey Study Centre should move along to Lupine Woods site.

"This will have a negative impact on the area – road, environment, nature reserve and residents."

Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has placed a holding objection on the application until it is satisfied there will not be any negative impacts on Haxey Turbary.

The turbary is a designated site of special scientific interest.

The plans are currently being looked at by council planning chiefs, with a final decision expected to be reached by Friday, March 29.