INNOVATIVE proposals to establish an alpaca birthing centre at Thelwall, Warrington, look set to go ahead following a planning victory.
The Egerton Trust has won an appeal against the Warrington Borough Council’s refusal to grant planning consent for a temporary home for an agricultural worker at Woodlands Alpaca Farm, Stockport Road, Thelwall.
It was in January that Warrington’s development management committee rejected the proposals on the grounds that the development would have a detrimental impact on the Green Belt.
An earlier proposal for a permanent property on the site was also refused a had also been turned down on appeal in 2018.
But the new plan involved temporary accommodation and the Trust put forward the argument that there were “very special circumstances” which would justify the development in the Green Belt because an on-site workers would be required to care for birthing and breeding alpacas.
They argued there was a demand for specialist birthing facilities in the North West. Alpacas were hardy and for the most part could be left without permanent supervision. But birthing mothers and their young required particular car and attention.
The application was opposed by one local resident and by Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council on highway safety fears due to vehicles visiting the site.
Woodlands Alpaca Farm – described as a small but viable business – has been operating for more than seven years and has planning consent for 16 alpacas on the site.
Now the planning inspectorate has ruled that temporary accommodation – a caravan – can be provided, opening the way for the birthing centre to operate
