Three Owls' future hangs in the balance

Three Owls Bird Sanctuary

The future of Norden's Three Owls Bird Sanctuary hangs in the balance according to Trustee Nigel Fowler.

Rochdale Council is currently working to determine whether or not the sanctuary is operating as an unlicensed zoo. And Mr Fowler says that if he was forced to apply for a zoo license it would be financially crippling for the sanctuary.

Mr Fowler has been visited at Three Owls by Andrew Gumbley from the Council's Environmental Health Department and now the Council has sought outside legal advice to see whether or not the sanctuary could be defined as a zoo.

Peter Rowlinson, head of Planning and Regulation at Rochdale Council, said: “We have never had any desire to close Three Owls down, and we are very keen to work with Mr Fowler on solutions to keep the facility open.

"To date, we have met with Mr Fowler three times to explore ways forward.

"However, and with the need to meet legislative requirements, we have sought external legal opinion to confirm whether or not the site falls within the definition of a zoo.

"The next few weeks will be focussed on how we can work with Mr Fowler to meet legislative requirements and keep Three Owls in business.”

Mr Fowler believes that if the Three Owls had to apply for a zoo license it would be forced to close. He said: "Three Owls struggles to raise the £10,000 a month to keep going as it is, and certainly would not be able to afford the extra £250,000 - £350,000 it would need in order to meet all the legislation required under the Zoo Licensing Act.

"The Act itself asks for local authorities to use common sense when applying the Bill. Where would that be if Rochdale Council forced the closure of a muchloved, well-used, and very much needed wild bird hospital by over-zealous regulation and legislation?

"The Council claim to be backing us yet are trying to force through legislation which would starve us of funds and close the Sanctuary down if we only opened six days a year, rather than the six days a week we do now. The alternative to that was full licensing which we have shown is most definitely not viable. We already have an SOS Appeal running as we are very hard hit by the recession."