A NEW purpose-built cattery could be coming to Blackford, near Wedmore.

Countryside Cattery is looking to relocate its existing premises at New Grove Farm to a new site less than a mile away on land at Snipefield Lane.

The plans, which have been submitted to Somerset Council by Collier Planning on behalf of Countryside Cattery, would see the erection of a single storey 40x10m building to be used as cattery.

The building will provide 40 cat pens, 36 standard pens plus four large pens, two isolation pens and an ancillary office, kitchen and store.

The application states the business’ lease at its current premises is set to expire and will not be extended and to meet the needs of its customers a new premises would need to be “relatively close” to its existing location.

“Importantly, the application site is adjacent to a house where ‘out of hours’ keyholders would reside,” the application said.

Aerial view of the proposed site Picture: Google Maps

“This is essential to the operation of the business.”

The proposed cattery would be designed to look similar to a farm building, with access from the private lane with adjoins the northern boundary of the site.

The application added: “There are no suitable existing premises available to either rent or buy within Blackford, as a quick online search will reveal, and so the proposals can’t be re-located to within the village.

“There are also no suitable or available existing premises outside of the village within the locality.”

The plans will now be considered by Somerset Council. For more details, and to comment on the plans, search reference 50/24/00044 on somerset.gov.uk.