Animal protection groups have objected to plans to create a ‘wild animal reserve’ south of Penrith on land at Tebay by group that operated the recently closed South Lakes Safari Zoo.
Freedom for Animals and The Animal Interfaith Alliance have lodged objections against a planning application submitted by New Roots Holding Company Ltd to the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA) to create a visitor attraction and wild animal reserve at Brockholes Farm.
According to planning documents, the proposed attraction, run by the operators of the soon-to-close Safari Zoo in Dalton, would consist of animal enclosures as well as an expansion of the existing holiday accommodation with the addition of three shepherds’ huts and two safari lodges.
It is also proposed that one of the existing holiday cottages would also be converted to a café and a welcome centre would be constructed on the site.
Plans state it is the applicant’s intention to house animals including white rhinos, honey badgers, zebras, red panda, sloth, giraffe and lynx. There would also be farm animals on site including sheep, goats, donkeys and reindeer.
Freedom for Animals said in their objection “Due to the considerable negative impact on the character of the area and its threat to the countryside and its natural wildlife, this application should be refused.”
In a letter to the YDNPA, The Animal Interfaith Alliance raised concerns over ‘poor animal care’ at South Lakes Safari Zoo.
“If planning permission were to be granted for this site we believe that the issue would simply be moved to a new area, tarnishing the reputation of the Yorkshire Dales”, the letter adds.
An inspection of South Lakes Safari Zoo in April found while the inspectors did not doubt the ‘hard work’ and ‘passion’ of the staff of the zoo, they had ‘grave concerns’ about ‘many obvious declining standards’.
However, the report from the zoo inspection added there was ‘no evidence’ of systemic animal health and welfare problems and said there was an ‘excellent veterinary programme’ at the zoo.
The operators of South Lakes Safari Zoo announced that the Dalton attraction would close on December 31.
Planning documents add: “The Applicant intends to cease operations at the Safari Zoo in Dalton and develop a more integrated and smaller scale visitor attraction at Brockholes Farm to align with their priorities, values and vision.
“Built development has been kept to a minimum with a landscape led approach to design. The space on offer at the site means the animals will have greater access to enjoy their surroundings which is part of the applicant’s focus on animal welfare.”
According to the management plan submitted with the application, the maximum number of spaces available to stay in the onsite accommodation at any one time will be 38 guests over nine separate accommodation units.
This would allow for a maximum number of day visitors of 41 guests; however plans state the booking system would operate by having available spaces to book onto an encounter which could all be filled by holiday accommodation guests and therefore the actual number of day visitors is expected to be less than this number.
The planning statement says: “The visitor attraction would not operate as a zoo and access would be strictly limited through the pre-booking system and guests staying in the holiday accommodation.”
This planning application is under consideration.
by Dan Hunt (Local Democracy Reporting Service)
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