Copyright jerseyeveningpost
A CATTERY is set to open in St Lawrence after plans that were twice refused were finally approved this month following an appeal. Permission has now been granted for The Purrfect Retreat – a 13-pen cattery at a private property on La Route de l’Eglise, next to St Lawrence Church, which applicants Sarah and Simon Dowling plan to run as a small family business. The couple first submitted plans early last year but saw them refused twice after the planning committee ruled the proposal would damage the landscape and be too large for the site. While some residents raised concerns ahead of the decision about traffic and the size of the development, as well as the noise and smell of the animals, pet owners who backed the scheme argued it was much-needed following the recent closure of three catteries. Reviewing the appeal, independent planning inspector Nigel McGurk recommended that it be approved. He found that the single-storey building “would not harm, but would protect the character and appearance of the area” and would be “entirely hidden from public view.” He said the operation was “unlikely to result in any significant impacts in respect of noise, disturbance, traffic, odours, vermin or waste disposal” and noted there was “evidence of demand for a cattery” which would “support the local economy.” Speaking after the decision, Sarah and Simon Dowling said the outcome “vindicates the need for another cattery in Jersey” and that she was “elated”. “Much is made of the ‘not-in-my-backyard’ principle in Jersey, and we saw it working in overtime in attempting to sabotage a much-needed cattery,” they said in a statement. “The approval could have been forthcoming within six months; it eventually got approved after 15 months. “The stress and financial implications associated with this unnecessary prolongation should not be underestimated.” She added that The Purrfect Retreat is expected to open “as near to Easter next year as possible.”
