A FATHER and son are aiming to prove that there’s nothing funny about their monkey business — as an eight-year battle with residents comes to a climax next week.
Don and Anthony Walser, who hope to open Newport’s Owl and Monkey Sanctuary to the public in a matter of weeks, have suffered countless setbacks along the way.
Now their best ally in a bid for a zoo licence renewal application is a noise diary, detailing decibel readings of the mating calls of the gibbons.
And for the Walsers, at least this time the application — due to be heard on Monday — has more letters of support than objections from the locals surrounding the project at Five Acres Farm, off Staplers Road.
It took the pair more than four years to get planning permission. They were turned down by the Isle of Wight Council’s planning committee, against officers’ recommendation, but won at appeal.
The committee famously trooped off to Hampshire’s Marwell Zoo to use noise monitoring equipment — without success — to record the mating calls of gibbons.
The committee backed residents who were concerned at noise and that the sanctuary would affect the character and appearance of the area, concerns overturned a year later in 2003 at the planning appeal.
The scheme approved includes parking for up to 40 cars, a cafe, visitors’ shop, toilets, an education and training facility and enclosures for the animals.
The appeal was allowed, subject to a list of 17 conditions, including prior approval of the type of species to be kept. Monday’s licence application is accompanied by a diary with noise readings of the mating calls of the loudest gibbons being much less than at Marwell.
There is also an undertaking that there would be a maximum of two of the loudest of the primates, siamangs.
They were 20 birds of prey and 22 primates at the time it was made and it was backed by vet, Dr Ian Green, who described facilities as first class and animal health as excellent. The application attracted 12 letters of support and seven from residents objecting to noise, traffic generated in residential roads and expressing concern for the welfare of the birds and monkeys.
• Latest news on the decision after Monday's meeting on www.iwcp.co.uk
Reporter: richardw@iwcpmail.co.uk