Updates from the Ernest Cook Trust are available in this post
ECT have agreed to provide regular summarys of progress on their activities in the parish, which QPC will publish here. Much of the following updates are also available in the local CHEQS magazines.
OCTOBER 2023
Phone mast
Final planning permission has been granted by CDC to Vodafone for a mast to be sited on land owned by ECT at Donkeywell Farm. It will be located on a hardstanding, yard area, and will greatly improve mobile phone network coverage for the local area.
Fibre broadband
ECT are also in discussions with a fibre broadband provider to enable fast fibre infrastructure to be installed across Trust land to enable greater broadband speeds. It is early days, so watch this space for a further update in due course.
Court Farm House
Work has started on The Ernest Cook Trust’s new headquarters, at Court Farmhouse in Quenington.
Peter Tutty has been appointed as the Trust’s Site Manager to coordinate the redevelopment, which will take around 12 months to complete, and there are plans to use local sub-contractors to carry out some of the work where possible. Peter has a great deal of experience in site management, and has a background in carpentry and joinery. He will be on site day-to-day, Monday-to-Friday throughout the project.
Fencing has been erected around the site, and the first phase will involve clearing the building of existing fixtures and fittings. Most of the work being undertaken is internal, and won’t be visible from the path or entrance. However, some trees and hedges will be removed from the entrance drive and car park area, as per our approved plans.
When complete, Court Farmhouse – which was bequeathed to The Ernest Cook Trust by The Frank Gollins Charitable Trust – will provide open-plan offices, meeting rooms, boardroom, and staff facilities. The aim is to create a location conducive to collaborative working for the charity.
Please contact the Trust at estates@ernestcooktrust.org.uk with any queries on the redevelopment of Court Farmhouse.
In other news, final planning permission has been granted by Cotswold District Council to Vodafone for a mast to be sited on land owned by The Ernest Cook Trust at Donkeywell Farm, Quenington. It will be located on a hardstanding, yard area, and will greatly improve mobile phone network coverage for the local area.
We’re also in discussions with a fibre broadband provider to enable fast fibre infrastructure to be installed across Trust land to enable greater broadband speeds. It is early days, so watch this space for a further update in due course. More news on this in future editions of CHEQS magazine and via Quenington village website.
JUNE 2023
Court Farmhouse will be the new headquarters for The Ernest Cook Trust.
Work should be getting underway in September to redevelop Court Farmhouse, Quenington, and turn it into a new headquarters for The Ernest Cook Trust.
Planning consent has been granted by Cotswold District Council, and the Trust is now working with the council to satisfy the required pre-start conditions. There will also be a minor amendment requesting permission to reduce the size of the private terrace at the rear of the property.
A site manager is being recruited to oversee the works, and at the end of the summer the Trust will also be looking for local tradespeople to help with the renovations. The work will take around 12 months, and the Trust hopes to move in during autumn 2024.
Court Farmhouse was bequeathed to The Ernest Cook Trust by The Frank Gollins Charitable Trust. The project entails the redevelopment of the existing house, garage and stable block; terrace and external works; and reorganised parking space within the existing courtyard at the front of the house.
When complete, it will provide open-plan offices, meeting rooms, boardroom, toilet block and staff rest areas. The aim is to create a location conducive to collaborative working for the charity. An options appraisal is underway to determine the future of the current headquarters in Fairford.
The Ernest Cook Trust is a UK-wide educational charity which creates outdoor learning experiences for children, young people and their families, on its own estates and with partners across the country. The Trust’s vision is for an environmentally engaged society with stronger connections with nature.
If you have any questions, please contact Chris Smith, Maintenance & Construction Manager at the Trust by emailing estates@ernestcooktrust.org.uk and look out for ongoing updates on the Quenington Parish Council website.