Zoo’s snow leopard enclosure can be built

THE Welsh Mountain Zoo has won the right to build a new snow leopard enclosure despite planning officers trying to thwart the bid.

They recommended not letting the zoo build a new sanctuary for snow leopards because it is on a greenfield site.

The zoo wanted permission to knock down its existing enclosure and build a new shelter in another part of the complex.

But planning officers recommended they be refused because the land, to the north west of the zoo site, is green belt.

The planning committee of Conwy council ignored the officers’ advice and gave the go-ahead, saying they wanted animals in the zoo to live in as similar a habitat to the one they’d be in in the wild as possible.

Nick Jackson, chief executive of the National Zoological Society of Wales, who has worked at the Colwyn Bay zoo for 49 years, said: “This is a sensitively designed scheme which fits neatly into its landscape. This development is driven by the need to replace oldfashioned accommodation to enable the zoo to meet modern expectations. Failure to carry out this development will jeopardise our involvement with the international breeding programme for the snow leopard. It will threaten inward investment, with major funding already raised including significant public support.”

Marl county councillor Mike Priestly said: “We can agree to approve this application. And just to put a positive message out to the zoo, we do appreciate what you do and we support you.”

Councillors voted to approve planning permission for the proposal.