An independent school for children with special educational needs has been allowed to permanently operate from a woodland in Dartmoor National Park.

Members of Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA) unanimously backed  the application by Running Deer School which runs the forest school in 16 acres of Butterdon Wood near Moretonhampstead, calling it “fantastic” and said they “couldn’t endorse it enough”.

The authority gave a five-year temporary permission to the school of ten pupils and 16 staff in 2020 to assess the impact of the development which includes five wood-clad teaching pods, six parking spaces and a drop off point at the site access.

Since that time there has been no concerns or complaints made about the school to DNPA and there were no objections to the new application, members were told.

Planning officers said the pods, although visible from a public footpath, had weathered and integrated into the woodland environment.

A forest school uses the natural environment as a primary learning space.

Director of education and special educational needs coordinator at Running Deer, Nick Hurst told the DNPA that being in woodland had a clinical and psychological benefit to both young people and adults.

“When we are talking about generations of young people who are raised on smartphones and screens, having six hours of the day in nature, to be in an environment away from screens, has a significant impact,” he said.

He said this “unique” opportunity was the key to the success of the school and was allowing children who would otherwise be on the fringes of education to fulfil their potential.

Members were told that the woodland was being managed by the community interest company and therefore a woodland management plan would not be necessary as part of the planning conditions.

Planning permission would be specific to Running Deer School and further consent from Dartmoor National Park Authority would be required should another organisation want to run the school in the future.

DNPA member Sally Morgan said she would like to see Running Deer replicated many times over locally if not nationally.

“I thought last time let’s make this permanent, I cannot endorse this enough. Any concerns about the impact on the site are completely outweighed by group of young people being educated in this environment and where they have respect for it.

William Dracup said: “This is a fantastic application, it’s good to see this flourish, it really shows what the national park is all about, giving children access all the qualities the national park can provide.”

DNPA member James McInnes said: “I totally support it, it’s absolutely brilliant, children can take part in society because of the experience they have had at this facility.”

Officers said the location was “unsustainable” in planning terms, being two kilometres away from Moretonhampstead and not commutable by foot or public transport.

But they considered a departure from planning policies acceptable in this case.