The Wildheart Trust in Sandown could be treated as a ‘special purchaser’ for a strip of Isle of Wight Council-owned land that adjoins its site.
The popular Wildheart Animal Sanctuary — formerly Sandown Zoo — on Yaverland Road has been a key feature of The Bay area for more than 4 decades.
Now, the trust which runs it wishes to acquire the small area of land which runs directly behind the sanctuary’s existing boundary. It says the land has ‘huge potential’ for it to expand its offering to tourists and support its charitable activities.
It has asked the council to be treated as a special purchaser for the site and has submitted a formal request which will be considered by the Cabinet next Thursday (12th May).
If approved, a separate decision will be needed about any disposal or leasing of the land following negotiations.
In a letter to the council, Lawrence Bates, the trust’s chief operating officer, said:
“Land is a key resource for our charity to support our operations and, with no room to expand to the front, such a strip of land would allow us to grow and develop the charity so it can go on supporting the community and rescued animals for decades to come.
“Our use would be wholly in line with the guidance of the Biosphere, supporting the Island’s objectives to become an ever greater wildlife holiday destination.”
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Councillor Chris Jarman, Cabinet member for strategic finances, has said:
“The Wildheart Trust are managing a popular and long-established tourism attraction and are seeking to invest and grow their facility and the additional land will enable them to fulfil their ambitions.
“The land in question is currently unused and unmanaged and is not identified as having any strategic value.
“The disposal to the trust would support their investment in the animal sanctuary, help sustain the tourism economy and potentially provide the opportunity to create additional employment and increased visitor numbers in the Bay area.”
More animals in cages for the masses. “Special Purchaser”, brown envelopes are getting bigger then !!!! The land in question is “unused” and “of no strategic value” Create additional employment, that’s a laugh. Just turn it into a FREE picnic area, for the locals and so-called tourists.
Idiot shame u don’t know what the wildheart trust is about now apologise
No apology from me. It was and is Sandown Zoo. Wildheart Sanctuary, it is still a zoo. It is still a profit making business from caged animals.
They are not a zoo, they are a refuge where rescued animals can live out the rest of their lives in a comfortable and enriching environment rather than being left where they are to suffer or simply being put down. (None of the animals they care for would survive in the wild)
I suggest you might consider paying them a visit to see what they actually do and to learn the difference between a sanctuary and an old fashioned zoo.
A very rare positive on this rotten island, especially from the council, and being a self confessed cynic myself even I fail to see the bad.
Says a lot for how your mind works matey.
Couldn’t agree more.Sanctuaries for abused and neglected animals is one thing worth celebrating ,prison camps for ‘exotic’,wild creatures; to be gawped at is a repulsive concept that speaks volumes about the degraded and philosophically bankrupt nature of what passes for modern day mores these days.However it’s dressed up as a ‘conservation’ project,it still boils down to rampant mental torture for the captives for monetary gain.
Sandown is definitely a sanctuary run for the benefit of rescued animals. pay them a visit and find out what they actually do there.
if you still think they’re a zoo afterwards ask for your money back.
I’m sure the tigers would enjoy a munch on the islands village idiots like yourself.
Some good news for once
The council take enough. It’s about time they gave a little instead of just being out for profit.
Im sure other parties may want to purchase that strip of land,if belongs to council, its tax payers,so should be sold to hight bidder.get some money back in the coffers
As a taxpayer I would like it donated free of charge to the animal sanctuary.
It’s Sandown Zoo and always will be to real Islanders. Of course the Council has to have some attractions for young Araminta and Hugo on their quaint hollibobs to the Isle of Serfs….
I’m a “real” Islander and you don’t speak for me. It once was a Zoo but it’s now a Sanctuary and doing a good job, things move on.
Its people like you who make me wish I wasn’t a “real islander”.
If the land is unused, why can the council not donate this piece of land?