Neighbours kick up a stink as couple plan to build new pig barn
Snout of order! Animal lovers cause a stink by knocking down £700,000 cottage so they can build sanctuary for up to 70 abandoned pigs in Welsh beauty spot
- Janet Devereux, 54, and Peter Davidson, 63, run a pig sanctuary in Rochdale
- The couple want to build a barn in the rolling hills of the Clwydian Range in Wales
- They also plan to build a new six-bedroom home in the natural beauty spot
- But neighbours fear they will bring the pigs with them, causing ‘waste and smell’
Neighbours are kicking up a stink over a couple’s plan to build a pig barn in a protected beauty spot.
Animal lovers Janet Devereux, 54, and husband Peter Davidson, 63, want to create a new specially-built barn in the rolling hills of the Clwydian Range – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in North Wales.
They have previously demolished nearby £700,0000 four-bed Field Cottage in Gwaenysgor and now want replace it with a new six-bedroom family home.
The couple, who currently run Pig Inn Heaven sanctuary in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, could use the barn to house up to 70 pigs – which can grow up to 34 stone in weight and can live for 15 years.
A Rochdale couple want to create a new specially built barn in the rolling hills of the Clwydian Range – an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in North Wales
Janet Devereux, 54, (pictured) and husband Peter Davidson, 63, currently run Pig Inn Heaven sanctuary in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, could use the barn to home up to 70 pigs
The couple have previously demolished nearby £700,0000 four-bed Field Cottage in Gwaenysgor (pictured) and now want replace it with a new six-bedroom family home
Ms Devereux is secretary of the charity, which houses abandoned ‘micro pigs’ bought as fashionable pets before being given up once they reach full size.
However neighbours fear the pigs could be brought with the couple when they make the 70 mile move from Rochdale to North Wales.
Neighbours say they are pig sick of the couple’s plans for the site, which is just yards from Offa’s Dyke path, a large earthwork believed to have been built in eight century which roughly follows the border between England and Wales.
The area is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, meaning it has higher levels of protection against development.
Fuming neighbours of the planned site are concerned the animals will cause ‘unwanted waste and smells’.
However, MrDavidson insist he has followed correct rules – and the complaints came from ‘malicious bullying’.
Tony Hughes, planning officer for the AONB, said plans for the barn, which will be a similar size to a tennis pitch and contain six pens, were ‘excessive’.
He said it would have ‘a significant adverse impact on the character and appearance of the area’.
He added: ‘The development is contrary to national and local planning policies which seek to protect the open countryside and AONB from discordant and excessive development and, in this context, the joint committee objects to the application.’
But the plans have been approved by Flintshire County Council under delegated powers – meaning no public hearing was held for objections to be heard.
Neighbours fear the pigs could be brought with the couple when they make the 70 mile move from Rochdale to North Wales. Pictured: The inside of the now demolished house
The couple plans to live at the new cottage with son David, 30. Pictured: The inside of the now demolished house
The couple say they are not planning on moving pigs from Pig Inn Heaven rescue centre (pictured), but wanted to care for pigs needing ‘long term care’ at his cottage
One neighbour said: ‘I am left with the impression that for some reason this matter was dealt with in a manner to avoid public scrutiny.
‘The concerns we raised at an early stage are now proving justified. The whole thing is a mess and we are very concerned at the planning process.’
Another said: ‘Welsh Government policy states that the Offa’s Dyke as well as the Offa’s Dyke path be given special protection from what can be seen from the path, but that hasn’t happened here.’
The neighbour said it was ‘inconceivable’ to think the pigs wouldn’t create waste and smell in the environmentally sensitive area.
The couple plans to live at the cottage with son David, 30, said the former house called Field Cottage had to be demolished after he found it ‘filled with wasps nests’.
He said he was not planning on moving his Pig Inn Heaven rescue centre from Rochdale but wanted to care for pigs needing ‘long term care’ at his cottage.
He said: ‘Early on I offered to meet the people of Gwaenysgor but they didn’t want to know.
‘The behaviour of some has bordered on malicious bullying.
‘We have done nothing but comply with every request and are left to build a property not to our design but to comply with official compliance to the environment.
‘I am an environmentally aware person and in fact Natural Resources Wales complimented me on clearing gorse from part of the land.’
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