A CALL to provide temporary welfare shelter facilities for an elderly horse near a Ceredigion car breakers has been given the go-ahead.
In an application to Ceredigion County Council, Sarah Smith, of Tanyfron, Tanygroes sought permission for the wooden shelter in a field opposite Tanygroes Car Dismantlers, just off the main A487 Cardigan-Aberaeron coast road.
Local community council Penbryn was highly supportive of the proposal, and the landowner endorsed Mrs Smith’s application, saying: “It will provide shelter for one horse which was bred on this farm, belongs to Mrs Smith and has always lived here. The shelter won’t be visible from the road and won’t even have foundations.
“An offer has been made for the farm, excluding this field, and the matter needs to be settled as soon as possible, please, for everyone’s peace of mind and the horse’s welfare. I don’t really understand why such a simple thing wasn’t granted in the first place.”
An officer report recommending approval said: “It is noted that the intended use of this structure would be as a ‘field shelter’ for an elderly horse whom the applicant wishes to translocate to the site located opposite their property of Tanyfron,” the report said.
It questioned whether the structure was “of a suitable scale to house a fully grown adult horse for prolonged periods,” and raised concerns about long-term suitability “as the structure is more temporary in nature, quite light and has no foundations anchoring it to the ground, being located in an area known to be susceptible to adverse weather conditions”.
However, it added that “in light of the scarce availability of adequate cover from less severe weather conditions such as rain and wind on site for the foreseeable future, it is noted that permission can be granted on a temporary basis”.
Approval for a two-year period was granted by planning officers under delegated powers.
