A forest school established by singer Charlotte Church is facing potential closure due to environmental concerns and a lack of planning permission. The Awen Project, located on a former pig farm in Wenvoe, Vale of Glamorgan, opened in 2024 without obtaining the necessary permits.
Church applied for retrospective planning permission in October 2025, but the local council denied the request. Concerns cited by the council included noise, impact on nearby residents, and potential dangers to pedestrians due to insufficient parking facilities. The council also stated that the project failed to demonstrate how it would "conserve and enhance green infrastructure" and raised issues regarding the sustainability of the site and its potential impact on biodiversity and the natural environment.
The Awen Project, co-founded by Church and her husband Jonathan Powell in 2019, aims to provide an environment for children to feel "championed to be themselves and follow their passions as active participants in a democratic community." The school operates free of charge and relies on donations.
Previously, the school was situated in Cwm George and Casehill Woods under an agreement with the Woodland Trust. However, in 2023, the charity terminated the license due to "multiple breaches" of the granted permission that reportedly posed health and safety risks to visitors and wildlife. The project stated on social media that it had made significant efforts to preserve the partnership.
Charlotte Church has appealed the council's decision to the Welsh government's Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW). A spokesperson for PEDW confirmed receipt of the appeal, but a hearing date has not yet been scheduled. Church herself declined to comment on the matter.