11th December 2024

Leading multidisciplinary development consultancy Pegasus Group has announced the successful acquisition of Full Planning Permission for a large-scale equine arena building to support The Wonkey Donkey Sanctuary and Visitors Centre at Cridling Stubbs, North Yorkshire.

The new 2,100m² arena will be the largest building on the site and will more than double the built floor space of the existing stables, office, café, and visitor centre buildings.

This all-weather facility will help to facilitate the year-round recovery and training of horses and donkeys rescued by the Centre. It will support the Sanctuary’s excellent work in allowing children and people with learning difficulties and serious illness to visit and interact with the rehabilitated animals even in poor weather conditions.

The Pegasus Planning team successfully demonstrated that the proposals were acceptable in the Green Belt by making provisions for appropriate facilities in connection with an existing outdoor recreational and leisure use, and that the new arena building did not conflict with the five purposes of Green Belt designation.

In obtaining planning permission, the Pegasus Planning Team dealt with flood risk matters as part of the site was within Flood Zone 2. A Sequential Flood Risk Assessment was carried out to demonstrate that the new arena building was located in the area of least risk within the applicant’s control on an established site, where the use already existed.

The multidisciplinary proposition of Pegasus Group includes the Transport and Infrastructure team who conducted swept path analysis at the site’s main access point to meet the approval of Highway planners and engineers for a car park. Additionally, the Pegasus Design team provided all the scaled drawings necessary to obtain full planning permission for the new arena, including layouts, elevations and floor plan.

Building is set to begin in summer next year, with an aim to open for Winter 2025 into 2026.

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Peter Hopkins, Associate Planner at Pegasus Group, commented, “Our expert team is passionate about its ongoing mission to secure the desired outcomes for clients through market-leading guidance and insights.

“We are delighted to have successfully played our part in obtaining the planning permission for this new arena in the North Yorkshire Green Belt. This arena will be a valuable addition to the local area through the boost in capacity its arrival brings to The Wonkey Donkey Sanctuary and Visitors Centre.”

Jackie Howarth, Director at The Wonkey Donkey Sanctuary, also commented, “This new building will provide a safe, secure, and spacious area for the daily rehabilitation of the animals in our care, enabling us to take the animals’ recovery as far as possible.

“We will now not have to cancel visits when the weather is unsuitable, allowing our special visitors with various disabilities and needs more time to enjoy with the donkeys which brings such great benefit to their lives.

“This building will change the lives of so many people and it is thanks to the hard work and great commitment from Peter Hopkins and his team at the Pegasus Group for making this project possible.”