I'll be sad if wildlife hospital is refused, says owner

19 hours ago

George King

News image — Sue Stubley founded the Suffolk Hedgehog Hospital nearly two decades ago, but now needs to build a bigger facility

The owner of a wildlife centre said she would be "very sad" if her plans to build a £2m animal hospital were thrown out after planning officers said the project should be refused.

Sue Stubley founded the Suffolk Hedgehog Hospital at her home in Ousden, Suffolk, 18 years ago, and has since cared for as many as 1,000 hedgehogs every year.

The 63-year-old now wants to build Long Acre Wildlife Hospital, which would also serve Norfolk and Essex, on 27 acres of land on the Suffolk and Cambridgeshire border.

The proposals, however, which East Cambridgeshire District Council will discuss at a planning meeting on Wednesday, have been recommended for refusal.

'Likely we will close'

Documents show the planning officers believe there was "insufficient justification" for the one-acre site to be built on land off Water Lane, Long Acre, in Kirtling.

They also fear the development would result in "significant harm" to the character and appearance of the area and cause "noise and disturbance" for nearby residents.

Stubley disagreed, saying: "I think it's very sad because we cannot continue as we are and it is quite likely that we will close should we not get this approval.

"I have looked for years for a site and this is the best site that can supply the hospital with everything that it needs."

Maude and Edwards Architects A mock-up image of what the Suffolk Hedgehog Hospital's Long Acre Wildlife Hospital could look like. It's a large building with solar panels and surrounded by grass, nature, and a small pond. — If approved, the new complex would be built on land in Kirtling and would be able to accommodate as many as 500 hedgehogs at any one time

Stubley and her team of volunteers have been nursing the animals back to health before releasing them into the wild since 2008.

While she remained passionate about the work, the lack of space in which she and her volunteers have to operate was starting to take its toll.

Last October, she told the BBC she had "about 22 hedgehogs in the kitchen, 20 in the lounge, tiny babies in my bedroom, a fox in the shower, and a dove in the bath".

Stubley said the new hospital would be able to accommodate about 500 hedgehogs at any one time, as well as other animals.

"I'm honestly not sure [what I will do if they refuse it] - I would have to give it a very long think because we cannot sustain where we are," she added.

Maude and Edwards Architects A mock-up image of what the hospital could look like. It's a large, wide building set amongst trees, grass and nature. — The proposed hospital would cost about £2m, but planning officers fear Stubley might run out of money before the project is finished

The site was first recommended for refusal last year, before Stubley submitted new proposals.

Fifteen people have objected to the project, but more than 267 people have voiced their support for it, while a petition calling for the plans to be approved has over 8,000 backers.

Letters of support have also been submitted by vets and other wildlife hospitals and charities, including the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

"We have addressed all the concerns, and I would say even more, from the last meeting, so I'm quite surprised that it is such a huge 'no'," Stubley said.

George King/BBC A small hedgehog being held by two hands and fed food though a tube. — The Suffolk Hedgehog Hospital cares for as many as 1,000 hedgehogs ever year, as well as other animals such as foxes and birds

The planning officer's report stated that "there is a lack of these types of facilities and there is a need for one" locally, but the project was "unacceptable".

"There is undoubtedly a lot of support for the application as evidenced by the number of positive comments, and there are positive elements to the application," they said.

"However, the proposal is unacceptable in principle and there are no material planning considerations that outweigh the significant conflicts with policies."