News Feed Archives - cat.org.uk
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Archived: 2026-04-23 17:14
News Feed Archives - cat.org.uk
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News Feed
CAT’s Quarry Cottages redevelopment goes to planning
This week marks an important moment for CAT as we take a significant step forward in our long-term capital redevelopment project ‘Cynefin: Green Heart of Wales’.
We have formally submitted planning applications for two key early elements of the project: the new build Quarry Cottages accommodation and the renovation of the Straw Bale Theatre.
These applications are the first visible signs of a transformational programme of work designed to secure CAT’s future as a world leading centre for environmental education.
A staged project, with staged funding
Cynefin is supported by the Mid Wales Growth Deal, with funding approved for its initial phase. Future phases will be subject to further approvals before any additional funding is committed. As a multi-stage capital project, progression is phased, with each stage moving forward only once the required match funding has been secured.
This structure means that alongside the Growth Deal support, CAT must work with a wide range of partners, donors, trusts, and funders. Each brings a slightly different focus, but all share a commitment to CAT’s mission: enabling people to learn the skills and solutions needed for a thriving, sustainable future.
We know that this comes shortly after our urgent fundraising appeal and we want to be clear about the distinction. That appeal was about keeping CAT running day to day to bridge a short-term gap in funding as we reach the end of the financial year. The Growth Deal project, by contrast, is capital only funding (for physical infrastructure) that cannot be used for operational costs. These two funding streams serve different purposes, but both are vital to CAT’s long-term resilience.
What’s included in this phase?
Quarry Cottages: new sustainable accommodation
At the heart of this first stage is the redevelopment of CAT’s historic Quarry Cottages – a once‑lived‑in corner of the old slate quarry that will become a purpose-built haven for learning groups.
Designed as a site within a site, the new and transformed Quarry Cottages will offer groups their own safe, self‑contained space: separate enough to feel like a retreat, yet richly connected to the wider CAT landscape, its woodlands, and its teaching spaces.
Drawing on CAT’s expertise in exemplar sustainable building practices, the development will honour the spirit and history of the original quarry workers’ cottages while working to transform them into vibrant, accessible accommodation that reflects the very best of cutting‑edge building standards.
Nestled gently into the hillside and surrounded by nature on all sides, the cottages will provide a place where visiting schools, universities, CAT Students and community groups can stay, connect deeply with the environment around them, and reflect on their learning at the end of each day.
The Quarry Cottages will offer an immersive overnight stay for guests based in a ‘site within a site’ that combines rich Celtic rainforest ecology, industrial and post-industrial site history and a microcosm of the holistic, practical approach to sustainability that is the basis of CAT’s vision and mission.
This will mark a significant step forward in CAT’s ability to welcome more learners to CAT’s unique living laboratory – in comfort, safety, and direct connection with the land beneath their feet.
Straw Bale Theatre: a refreshed exemplar classroom
The retrofit of CAT’s much-loved Straw Aale Theatre will breathe new life into this iconic natural building, transforming it into a modern, vibrant learning hub.
As a home base for visiting schools, many of whom travel long distances for immersive days at CAT, the reimagined Straw Bale Theatre will provide a welcoming, flexible classroom space that supports experiential, hands-on learning. Its overhaul will ensure we can continue delivering high-quality education during phases of the wider campus redevelopment progress.
Outside, a new outdoor classroom nestled between wild gardens, ponds, and woodland will offer a safe, stimulating space for play, exploration, and discovery. This natural learning environment will expand CAT’s capacity to bring more children into nature-rich experiences that foster curiosity, confidence, and a sense of belonging.
Together, the refreshed Straw Bale Theatre and its adjoining outdoor classroom will form a cornerstone of CAT’s educational offer – a place where thousands of young people can connect with climate solutions, sustainable living, and the natural world in deeply memorable ways.
Laying foundations for CAT’s future
Submitting these planning applications marks the beginning of the visible stages of a long term, carefully sequenced project. There is much work still to do, including securing the match funding needed to unlock each stage, but this progress represents a hopeful and energising step forward.
Starting with our accommodation provision and learning spaces have been prioritised to support the continuation of our crucial teaching and on-site engagement while broader and more impactful developments take place in the future.
With the support of our community, partners, and funders, Cynefin will help CAT continue to inspire, educate, and support the changemakers of the future.
Future stages of work will reopen the CAT site to day visitors as a leading educational visitor attraction and provide exemplar and cutting-edge learning facilities for CAT’s learners of all types.
Keep an eye on the CAT website for further announcements as the project progresses.
https://cat.org.uk/about-cat/cynefin/
Email Sign Up
Keep up to date with all the latest activities, events and online resources by signing up to our emails and following us on social media. And if you’d like to get involved and support our work, we’d love to welcome you as a CAT member.
Email SiGN up
Support US
April 23, 2026
Leadership updates at CAT
As the organisation enters its next chapter, after more than four years in post, the shared leadership of CAT’s Co-CEO’s Eileen Kinsman and Paul Booth is coming to an end.
Eileen and Paul have led CAT in partnership through a challenging few years, including the impact of COVID and wider pressures across the tourism, education and charity sectors. Stepping jointly into their roles during a crucial phase for CAT’s long-term vision, they played a key part in strengthening our organisational foundations and supporting the development of our Cynefin capital redevelopment project. Their leadership was vital for securing £13.1m of future investment from the Mid Wales Growth Deal and guiding CAT through a time of wider economic uncertainty.
As CAT reaches the end of its current five-year strategy and prepares for its next chapter, the Board is putting interim leadership in place. An interim CEO will be appointed to guide the charity through this transition. Until then, CAT’s Board of Trustees will work closely with the Senior Management Team to ensure continuity. Work on CAT’s next five-year strategy is underway, led by a cross departmental team with full support from the Board, and we look forward to sharing updates on this in due course.
We thank Eileen and Paul for their contribution to CAT’s journey. Paul will move back into the role of Finance Director, and Eileen will be leaving the organisation.
As we look ahead, we remain focused on our charitable mission, ensuring that CAT continues to inspire, inform, and enable the transition to a sustainable future, and energised by the opportunities the next chapter of CAT’s work will bring.
We look forward to providing you with further updates in due course and would like to thank you for your continued support.
March 12, 2026
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Category:
News Feed
CAT’s Quarry Cottages redevelopment goes to planning
This week marks an important moment for CAT as we take a significant step forward in our long-term capital redevelopment project ‘Cynefin: Green Heart of Wales’.
We have formally submitted planning applications for two key early elements of the project: the new build Quarry Cottages accommodation and the renovation of the Straw Bale Theatre.
These applications are the first visible signs of a transformational programme of work designed to secure CAT’s future as a world leading centre for environmental education.
A staged project, with staged funding
Cynefin is supported by the Mid Wales Growth Deal, with funding approved for its initial phase. Future phases will be subject to further approvals before any additional funding is committed. As a multi-stage capital project, progression is phased, with each stage moving forward only once the required match funding has been secured.
This structure means that alongside the Growth Deal support, CAT must work with a wide range of partners, donors, trusts, and funders. Each brings a slightly different focus, but all share a commitment to CAT’s mission: enabling people to learn the skills and solutions needed for a thriving, sustainable future.
We know that this comes shortly after our urgent fundraising appeal and we want to be clear about the distinction. That appeal was about keeping CAT running day to day to bridge a short-term gap in funding as we reach the end of the financial year. The Growth Deal project, by contrast, is capital only funding (for physical infrastructure) that cannot be used for operational costs. These two funding streams serve different purposes, but both are vital to CAT’s long-term resilience.
What’s included in this phase?
Quarry Cottages: new sustainable accommodation
At the heart of this first stage is the redevelopment of CAT’s historic Quarry Cottages – a once‑lived‑in corner of the old slate quarry that will become a purpose-built haven for learning groups.
Designed as a site within a site, the new and transformed Quarry Cottages will offer groups their own safe, self‑contained space: separate enough to feel like a retreat, yet richly connected to the wider CAT landscape, its woodlands, and its teaching spaces.
Drawing on CAT’s expertise in exemplar sustainable building practices, the development will honour the spirit and history of the original quarry workers’ cottages while working to transform them into vibrant, accessible accommodation that reflects the very best of cutting‑edge building standards.
Nestled gently into the hillside and surrounded by nature on all sides, the cottages will provide a place where visiting schools, universities, CAT Students and community groups can stay, connect deeply with the environment around them, and reflect on their learning at the end of each day.
The Quarry Cottages will offer an immersive overnight stay for guests based in a ‘site within a site’ that combines rich Celtic rainforest ecology, industrial and post-industrial site history and a microcosm of the holistic, practical approach to sustainability that is the basis of CAT’s vision and mission.
This will mark a significant step forward in CAT’s ability to welcome more learners to CAT’s unique living laboratory – in comfort, safety, and direct connection with the land beneath their feet.
Straw Bale Theatre: a refreshed exemplar classroom
The retrofit of CAT’s much-loved Straw Aale Theatre will breathe new life into this iconic natural building, transforming it into a modern, vibrant learning hub.
As a home base for visiting schools, many of whom travel long distances for immersive days at CAT, the reimagined Straw Bale Theatre will provide a welcoming, flexible classroom space that supports experiential, hands-on learning. Its overhaul will ensure we can continue delivering high-quality education during phases of the wider campus redevelopment progress.
Outside, a new outdoor classroom nestled between wild gardens, ponds, and woodland will offer a safe, stimulating space for play, exploration, and discovery. This natural learning environment will expand CAT’s capacity to bring more children into nature-rich experiences that foster curiosity, confidence, and a sense of belonging.
Together, the refreshed Straw Bale Theatre and its adjoining outdoor classroom will form a cornerstone of CAT’s educational offer – a place where thousands of young people can connect with climate solutions, sustainable living, and the natural world in deeply memorable ways.
Laying foundations for CAT’s future
Submitting these planning applications marks the beginning of the visible stages of a long term, carefully sequenced project. There is much work still to do, including securing the match funding needed to unlock each stage, but this progress represents a hopeful and energising step forward.
Starting with our accommodation provision and learning spaces have been prioritised to support the continuation of our crucial teaching and on-site engagement while broader and more impactful developments take place in the future.
With the support of our community, partners, and funders, Cynefin will help CAT continue to inspire, educate, and support the changemakers of the future.
Future stages of work will reopen the CAT site to day visitors as a leading educational visitor attraction and provide exemplar and cutting-edge learning facilities for CAT’s learners of all types.
Keep an eye on the CAT website for further announcements as the project progresses.
https://cat.org.uk/about-cat/cynefin/
Email Sign Up
Keep up to date with all the latest activities, events and online resources by signing up to our emails and following us on social media. And if you’d like to get involved and support our work, we’d love to welcome you as a CAT member.
Email SiGN up
Support US
April 23, 2026
Leadership updates at CAT
As the organisation enters its next chapter, after more than four years in post, the shared leadership of CAT’s Co-CEO’s Eileen Kinsman and Paul Booth is coming to an end.
Eileen and Paul have led CAT in partnership through a challenging few years, including the impact of COVID and wider pressures across the tourism, education and charity sectors. Stepping jointly into their roles during a crucial phase for CAT’s long-term vision, they played a key part in strengthening our organisational foundations and supporting the development of our Cynefin capital redevelopment project. Their leadership was vital for securing £13.1m of future investment from the Mid Wales Growth Deal and guiding CAT through a time of wider economic uncertainty.
As CAT reaches the end of its current five-year strategy and prepares for its next chapter, the Board is putting interim leadership in place. An interim CEO will be appointed to guide the charity through this transition. Until then, CAT’s Board of Trustees will work closely with the Senior Management Team to ensure continuity. Work on CAT’s next five-year strategy is underway, led by a cross departmental team with full support from the Board, and we look forward to sharing updates on this in due course.
We thank Eileen and Paul for their contribution to CAT’s journey. Paul will move back into the role of Finance Director, and Eileen will be leaving the organisation.
As we look ahead, we remain focused on our charitable mission, ensuring that CAT continues to inspire, inform, and enable the transition to a sustainable future, and energised by the opportunities the next chapter of CAT’s work will bring.
We look forward to providing you with further updates in due course and would like to thank you for your continued support.
March 12, 2026
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