Animal activists win legal bid to block zoo plans

The zoo was set to be based on land near an existing farm and dairy

Animal rights activists have won a legal challenge to block a new zoo from opening.

An application for the zoo - which was due to be based on The Orchards Farm near Holmes Chapel in Cheshire - was approved by Cheshire East Council’s planning committee in July.

But animal activist group Freedom for Animals and lawyers from Advocates for Animals successfully challenged the decision this week.

A spokesperson for Cheshire East Council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "The decision is therefore quashed, and the application will now be reconsidered."

Welfare

Council planning officers had advised councillors against approving Zoo2U’s application and recommended it be rejected on the grounds it could damage the character and appearance of the area.

They had said the approving the plan was a "significant departure from policy" and the application should be referred up to the council's strategic planning board.

Two days later it was announced the southern planning committee’s decision to approve the application stood.

"The council has accepted it did not provide adequate reasons to approve the planning application,” a council spokesman said.

Freedom for Animals director Dr Andrew Kelly said the group challenged the decision on "animal welfare grounds."

"We call on all local authorities to reject planning applications for any new zoos in the future," he added.