Newton Ferrers school children receive a lesson in sustainable building at Collaton Park

Foundation, Year One and Year Two pupils from Newton Ferrers Church of England Primary School became VIP visitors for the day at a local new homes development set in the charming South Hams village, located on the River Yealm estuary.

The development is a result of a joint venture between Coln Signature Homes and Pillar Land Securities, combining their expertise as bespoke developers and housebuilders. As part of the project, the team welcomed 40 children from the local primary school to its new development, Collaton Park, located off Richardson Drive, Newton Ferrers. The visit gave the children the opportunity to explore how homes are constructed, understand the importance of safety on site, and discover some of the eco-friendly features that help protect the local environment.

Led by Bob Bland, Construction Director at Coln Signature Homes, the curious five and and six-year-old children were taken on a tour and given an insight into how energy- efficient homes are designed to reflect the surrounding South Hams landscape. Bob explained to the children how new homes are built, why health and safety is so important on construction sites, and how sustainable design supports both people and wildlife.

The pupils were excited to see construction in progress. They also enjoyed spotting many of the features designed to encourage biodiversity, ranging from bird and bat boxes to bee bricks and wildflower planting.

In addition to exploring the different house types, pupils also learnt how to be safe around construction sites. Bob highlighted the dangers of being on a building site and why there are specific measures in place to keep everyone working there safe.

Back at school, the children continued their learning in their design technology class – drawing a home and then modelling it using various materials.

Katie Rose, Reception and Year One teacher at Newton Ferrers Church of England

Primary School, commented: “We want to say thank you to Coln Signature Homes for giving our students such a warm welcome to Collaton Park. Many of the children live locally, so it was genuinely exciting for them to go behind the scenes of a new community under construction to see what goes into building the homes of the future. We’ve had some great feedback from the pupils - it was such a fun and inspiring day.”

Newton Ferrers Church of England Primary School currently has spaces available for children moving into the area, providing families with the chance to become part of an established and welcoming village community.

Bob Bland, Construction Director at Coln Signature Homes, commented: “It was a great pleasure to host the children at Collaton Park. For us, it’s really important to give young people the opportunity to see how sustainable homes are designed and built – especially in a community where they may one day live. The children were so enthusiastic and asked lots of brilliant questions, particularly about the ways in which we’re protecting the local environment for the future. It’s also great for them to see in real life how we use shapes in construction that they would normally encounter in a Maths lesson.”

Launched earlier this year, Collaton Park is a collection of 125 sustainable, design-led one-to-five bedroom homes offering a range of tenures including private purchase, Rent-to-Buy, local community housing, Homes for Later Life, Shared Ownership Commercial Units and Custom Build.

Craig Robinson, Development Director for Pillar Land Securities, added: “We have a range of homes coming forward at Collaton Park that are ideal for local families looking to start a new chapter in their lives. Our four bedroom show home, The Willow Plus, is now open, and we welcome visitors to drop by the Marketing Suite and take a tour to experience what life at Collaton Park could be like. With a wide selection of homes now under construction and available for reservation, it’s a great time to speak with our experienced team and arrange your personalised appointment to explore the variety of homes available.”

Sold by local estate agents Marchand Petit, Collaton Park is a multi-award-winning unique development offering a range of house styles to suit every stage of life. Blending seamlessly with the South Devon countryside, Collaton Park incorporates nature into everyday life, offering an attenuation pond, welcoming parkland cafe and thoughtfully planned green spaces.

Currently, one and two bedroom bungalows , with one bedroom bungalow starting from £191,250 on a shared ownership basis as well as a variety of two, three and four bedroom homes are available to reserve, with a two bedroom home starting from £355,000.

For more information, please call the Sales Executives on 01752 373405 or email hello@collatonpark.com. The Show Home and Marketing Suite are open Wednesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm.