News

Sanctuary to shut for good

A LLANBEDR dog sanctuary is to close permanently after the trustees of the home lost their appeal against a planning enforcement order.

The future of the Home-a-dog Sanctuary near Tan y Wenallt has been in doubt for a number of months, ever since the trustees of the home had to apply for retrospective planning permission for the site.

The home had been open for around six years, but the previous owner had not applied for planning permission for a caravan on the site nor applied for change of use from stables to kennels.

The home applied for retrospective planning to the Snowdonia National Park Authority for both caravan and kennels in November 2008, but was refused. The trustees appealed against the regulation not to keep dogs, and won that appeal for a period of two years. But since the last warden left in September 2009, the kennels have been empty of dogs.

A recent appeal against the enforcement order to remove and demolish the chalet used as warden’s accommodation at the centre was also refused last week, sealing the fate of the dog home.

• Pictured, Ivan O'Rourke, chairman of Home-a-Dog
• See full story in this week's Cambrian News