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

The development is a result of a joint venture between Coln Signature Homes and Pillar Land Securities, combining our expertise as bespoke developers and housebuilders. As part of the project, the team welcomed 40 children from the local primary school to our 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.

The curious five 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. It was 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. The dangers were highlighted 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 Collaton Park for giving our Year One 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."