Charlotte Church forest school faces closure amid complaints about ‘rude’ children and dangerous parking

Eleanor Storey, Press Association

A forest school set up by singer and activist Charlotte Church could be forced to close amid complaints about “rude” children and dangerous parking.

The Awen Project, which Church describes as “a free-to-attend democratic school in the woods”, has been operating from the site in Wenvoe, near Cardiff, without the necessary permissions since 2024.

The charity, founded by Church, retrospectively applied to Vale of Glamorgan Council for the change of use but this was refused, with officials citing concerns about transport safety and noise pollution.

It had also not been demonstrated that the site would “conserve and enhance green infrastructure”, the council found.

The decision to refuse the application has since been appealed to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales by Jonathan Field, described by the Awen Project as a “tribal elder”.

Objecting to the development, Paul and Samantha Edwards said they had “witnessed parents vehicles parking illegally” and said children could be heard screaming and shouting, claiming they “have been ‘rude’ to neighbours”.

They said: “These unneighbourly behaviours are detrimental to the amenities of local residents.”

Mr Field strongly rejected the accusations, adding: “The fact that children make sound when they are learning, whether that is singing and playing instruments or making excited cries at having discovered something that chimes with their passions, is a terrible reason to argue against them having a place to learn.

“The accusation of unneighbourly behaviours is unfortunately pure projection – totally unfounded and with zero evidence.”

Cardiff-born Church, 40, released her first album, Voice Of An Angel, when she was 12.

Since then, she has released more music, appeared on TV – including her own chat show in the Noughties, The Charlotte Church Show – and in 2025 was part of the cast on The Celebrity Traitors.

She said she started the Awen Project to offer a “more nature-based, more humane, more natural [education]”.

It is open to children aged 11 to 16 who are primarily electively home educated.

The appeal form states the site in Wenvoe remains undeveloped, beyond minor removable temporary structures – including a welfare unit, a canvas shelter and a compost toilet.

Mr Field said in the appeal: “The refusal of planning permission places this learning community at risk of immediate and severe disruption.

“Many of the children attending have previously struggled in mainstream education and have now found stability, confidence, and purpose at the Awen Project.

“Removing access to this setting will cause significant emotional and educational harm.”

In 2023, the Woodland Trust revoked the Awen Project’s access to a previous site due to breaches of health and safety.

The Awen Project has been approached for comment.

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