1st August 2024

Concerning news came out of the most recent planning meeting at Cheshire East Council, where committee members voted to approve Zoo2U's controversial new zoo plans, despite their own planning officers recommending they be REFUSED due to significant environmental concerns. As yet, we do not know if their motion to approve will legally stand, as they may need to involve the strategic planning board for a final decision. 

We have campaigned against these exploitative plans - which would see Zoo2U's current mobile zoo business expand into a permanent zoo operation in Cheshire, forcing animals such as meerkats, skunks and reptiles to be held captive for visitor entertainment - for over a year now. During this time our supporters have also taken action numerous times, and as a result the plans were denied twice!

Once in March 2023, when the initial plans were denied due to insufficient documentation. Then again later that year, when a revised proposal was also rejected, as the project was deemed "unacceptable in principle" for encroaching upon the countryside, potentially harming the environment, and failing to demonstrate benefits to the area's economic, social, and environmental conditions. It appears that in more recent inspections, planning officers have found these same issues still present, meaning that the plans continue to go against Cheshire East Council’s own environmental policies, and so the grounds for them to be rejected still stand. 

Despite this, Zoo2U has continued to proceed with the unauthorised construction of new enclosures and the acquisition of additional animals, displaying blatant disregard for the legal planning process. Such actions not only undermine the established regulatory framework but also threaten the natural environment, local wildlife, and the well-being of nearby residents.

Significant concerns remain unresolved, including severe flooding risks, inadequate wastewater management, and insufficient safe access to the site. These issues pose substantial risks to local waterways and the surrounding ecosystem, potentially causing irreversible damage.

Moreover, the anticipated increase in visitors would disrupt the tranquillity of the natural environment, negatively impacting both the local wildlife and the community. The adverse effects on residents have been highlighted in numerous comments submitted to the council.

Many councils are now recognising the need to better protect biodiversity in their districts, so for committee members at Cheshire East Council to go against the very real concerns planning officers raised in regards to this zoo is incredibly concerning. It is crucial to halt the establishment of new zoos, as they not only compromise the welfare of animals, but also of the local environment, and local authorities should be prioritising the safety of the overall local community over the vested interests of a business owner who simply wants to make more profit off the backs of animals. 

At Freedom for Animals, we remain steadfast in our mission to protect animals from exploitation and harm.

We call on Cheshire East Council to do the right thing by their constituents, and reject this application. They cannot disregard the recommendation for refusal offered by their own planning officers; to do so would go against their own environmental policies, and would set a dangerous precedent.