June 2014
Pupils at a local school have been finding out more about development in their own community.
The Caldew School Year 9 Geography class is working on a project named ‘development on our doorstep’.
‘The Grange’ at Dalston
John Story, Land Valuation Manager at Story Homes, spent time with the class in Dalston, considering the pros and cons of development. Story Homes is currently developing a 121 house development off Townhead Road in the village.
The class worked in groups to discuss the positives and negatives of new housing developments in villages like Dalston before regrouping to talk them through. They then spent some more time in groups thinking up ideas to mitigate any negative aspects of development.
John Story said of the day: “The pupils came up with some great points and they had a real awareness about development and how it can impact upon communities in both positive and negative ways. They were positive about development for its benefit to the economy but they did raise concerns around traffic and environmental impact. What was interesting was that the pupils came up with a list of mitigation ideas that Story Homes have already implemented in Dalston, and they were often surprised at the lengths we have gone to lessen the impact of development, including making a significant contribution to the local authority for school places.”
Mariam Macfarland, Geography Teacher at Caldew School said: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to work with John and examine the impact that the Story Homes development will have on our community. Local links and expertise help topics come alive for our young people and as a school we have sense of community and social responsibility at the heart of our ethos. Our young people were fascinated to hear about the different stages of development and discuss the contributions that are being made to our community. John was an engaging speaker who made the issues surrounding development relevant and thought-provoking. Many of our students are looking forward to a tour of the site later in the year.”
Story Homes works with local schools as part of their commitment to making communities a better place to live. ‘Sustainable Story’ pulls together all of Story Homes’ community focused activities including site visits for school pupils and health and safety talks in schools.
The Grange in Dalston will bring a range of 2,3,4 and 5 bedroom properties, including affordable properties to help local residents get their foot on the property ladder. The recent launch event for The Grange attracted a queue of customers keen to buy a Story Home, with some waiting from 5.30am to secure their preferred plot and house type.
