Wings School, Kirklington, seeking retrospective permission from Newark and Sherwood District Council for alpaca animal therapy paddocks

A private special school has applied for retrospective permission for an animal therapy paddock.

Wings School, Kirklington, has applied to Newark and Sherwood District Council for the animal therapy provision — including associated animal shelter and livestock fencing to grazing paddocks — which was built in early June this year.

Part of the Kedleston Group, the residential school, which caters for children with challenging educational needs aged nine to 16, received an enforcement enquiry on June 25, and subsequently agreed to submit an application to retain the animal shelter and paddock fencing which was created as an “educational project”.

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The shelter, which also houses a feed store, is of a timber construction on a concrete base, and the paddocks use 1.25 metre high timber post and rail and post and wire stock fencing.

This facility houses four alpacas, which planning documents state “create a therapeutic learning experience for the students through animal care that is structured, creates discipline, supports emotional development, and through caring for another creature”.

Part of the site is also used for the walking and exercising of the alpacas.

A heritage assessment determined the paddocks are “suited to the historical character, rural aesthetic and historical uses of the field of utility grassland in which they are located”, and that there were identified “social/educational public benefits” to the scheme.

Newark and Sherwood District Council will make a decision on the application at a later date.