It has been revealed that The Wildheart Trust plans to create a glamping facility on 5 acres of land at the rear of its sanctuary at Sandown.
As reported by Island Echo, The Wildheart Trust had previously asked to be treated as a special purchaser for the unused Isle of Wight Council-owned land, which was approved in May last year.
Now, plans for the empty site have been disclosed for the 1st time.
Currently, the land is devoid of wildlife but the rewilding plan hopes to produce a habitat which will benefit endangered species including red squirrels, rare bats and reptiles. The glamping facilities will be set within this wildlife-rich environment and with the sounds of the Sanctuary’s current residents audible from the site, it might almost feel like a safari experience.
The new glamping site will provide a base for themed holidays, therapy breaks and educational visits.
The Trust believes that connecting visitors to nature in this way is a critical element of a successful biosphere and that the ‘intoxicating combination of a peaceful site rich in wildlife, overlooking the Sandown levels will be irresistible’.
From an economic viewpoint, they also hope that this development will create permanent jobs and increase visitor levels, which in turn will benefit local businesses.
The land extension has been set to allow Browns, as a heritage site much loved by local community, to continue to operate.
Public access to the Willow Walk will also continue unaltered.
A spokesperson for The Wildheart Trust has told Island Echo:
“We are extremely excited to be included in discussions about plans for the future of Sandown Bay.
“Our plans will not only help to support a much-loved Island organization, securing much needed jobs, but also evolve sympathetically with other projects in the area allowing the rich heritage of Browns golf course to be preserved, not to mention a large increase in the areas biodiversity.”
Safari experience! Really?? Meanwhile the other endangered species are couped up cages
How can 5 acres of land be devoid of wildlife????
And if the endangered species, move in, they will move straight back out when the campers take over.
I would much rather see animals using the 5 acres than humans.
Please, Wildheart Trust give the tigers and other animals a larger space or an alternative space to use.
Put the animals first. That is what you are about.
Better to utilize the 5 acres into extra space for the animals.
Always negative comments, isn’t life awful, moan moan moan, get a grip, maybe it’s in the iow air, maybe take a trip to the mainland for a crash course in experiencing enterprise, or at least meet up with people who see any given glass as half full and not empty, moan moanty moan, It’s totally exhausting!!
Don’t read the comments, then. I have lived and worked on the mainland. No change there. And I was really pleased to come back. Hope you feel better, soon.
I love the island but in order to enjoy the fantastic scenery have to tune out the background moaning, as if Isle of wighters are any more hard done by than anyone else, it’s a vibe that is acknowledged by everyone who is new (and loves) the island; that and the obvious have and have not divide, wouldn’t mind the moaning if someone, anyone got off their backside and came up with constructive solutions, but they just expect someone else to come up with them, and then they’d moan about them anyway, so any enterprising person is liable to just take their talents elsewhere where they’re appreciated. Standby for the “in denial” thumbs down avalanche..
Whatever else they say, it’s always about money. If the Trust need to generate income to keep the Zoo going, seems like a reasonable venture.
Questionable that a registered charity should be running a glamping site. Bit like Oxfam arranging package holidays. Rules for UK charities state that “You must deliver only your charity’s purposes” and “Drifting into activities that your charity is not set up to do can happen if you do not focus on your charity’s purposes” and “Public benefit is what makes charities different from other organisations. It is about providing a clear benefit for a wide enough section of the public when delivering your charity’s purposes. You must run your charity for the public benefit.” Running a private glamping site to bring in extra cash seems at odd with the aim of the charity.
When people associated with the zoo hold millions in their personal accounts yet it’s the gullible followers that fund their little forays and court cases when someone upsets them
The area is certainly not devoid of wildlife! Plenty of foxes, badgers, bats, diverse bird life, red squirrels….. etc. This will just displace what wildlife is already here.
envelopes comes to mind
Better than a housing estate
Are the 5 acres they are talking about the 2 Brown’s pitch and putt courses?
The land is a natural sponge for the rain and is below sea level and if you take a walk you will see how soggy it is. Land such as this is what prevents overflow of sewage and needs to be preserved for wildlife and our own health. Glamping on stilts?
We did glamping at Port Lympne zoo, and it was wonderful, waking up to the roar of tigers and leopards. It sounds like a good use for land that isn’t being used for much at the moment. The pods don’t take up much space and hopefully the flora and fauna will carry on around them, while the money raised will contribute to the Wildheart foundation.