Plans are underway to establish a “forest kindergarten” nursery adjacent to a rural cricket club in Somerset. Rebecca Moore, founder of Lille and Wild—a pre-school education provider based in the quaint village of Stogumber—has submitted an application to build a log cabin-style nursery near Stogumber Cricket Club, located on the village’s eastern edge.
If approved, the new facility would feature a 30-square-meter timber cabin with an all-weather veranda, positioned just east of the cricket pitch and pavilion. It aims to serve up to 20 children aged from three months to five years during term time, as well as hosting holiday clubs, employing a team of four dedicated staff members.
Representatives from Polden Planning, acting for the applicant, emphasize that the nursery fills a pressing need in an area currently lacking any early years settings. They describe the project as “a fully outdoor, rural nursery setting, unique to Somerset,” grounded in the philosophy that immersive outdoor learning enriches early childhood development.
This innovative nursery is expected to benefit local families by providing accessible early education close to home while supporting the local primary school through increased enrollment. The facility is designed to address a significant gap in early years provisions within this rural catchment area, encompassing small villages nestled between the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the eastern boundary of Exmoor National Park, including Bicknoller, Crowcombe, Lydeard St Lawrence, and Monksilver.
Stogumber Parish Council is slated to review the proposal at its January meeting, with Somerset Council expected to reach a decision by late March 2026. Should the plans receive approval, the forest kindergarten nursery hopes to open its doors in time for the September 2026 school term.