Crunch talks over shock land sale in Plymouth

Animal loving councillors in Plymouth are getting behind a local dog and cats home as it enters talks with National Highways over a land sale which it fears could impact its operation.

Staff at Gables are meeting with highways officials this week to discuss the 0.3 acre strip of land at the entrance to its premises at Merafield Road which the government-owned company plans to sell at auction.

Following concerns raised by the animal rescue charity, local lobbying and a huge outpouring of support for Gables on social media, National Highways has postponed the auction, which was due to take place on December 4, to February.

The charity wants to ensure safety and access to its premises and has enquired about purchasing the land in the past but it claims it has had limited response.

Staff fear that the land might fetch a higher amount at auction than the £2,000 guide price. A crowdfunder appeal was started shortly after the for sale signs went up.

Plymouth City councillor Terri Beer ( Plympton Erle) has called for the land to be gifted to the charity for £1 but National Highways said bringing the asset to the open market was considered to be the best way to “obtain best value for the taxpayer”.

Gables is within the ward represented by Cllr Daniel Steel (Plymstock Radford) who asked the full council this week to back his motion celebrating the work of the charity and to send a clear message to everyone about how valued it was.

Cllr Steel has met the team at Gables and also written to the CEO of National Highways to express his concern about the sale.

He said it had caused “significant concern and stress” to the much-loved charity which cares for and rehomes more than 1,000 animals from Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and the Isles of Scilly every year.

They should not have to focus time and effort on land sales, he said. Gables was a “vital partner” of Plymouth City Council as they boarded the pets of Plymouth residents when they were ill in hospital and supported the rehoming of stray pets.

He said pausing the auction would give National Highways time to meet with Gables to discuss concerns and enable to charity to get the assurances they needed that this land sale would not detrimentally impact their ability to operate.

“I will do everything in my power to help Gables resolve this issue and protect their work for now and into the future,” he said.

Cllr Steel’s motion was seconded by Cllr Kate Taylor (Lab, Ham) who said the charity did not just provide shelter and food but medical care, socialisation and training to prepare animals for forever homes.

She said it fostered a sense of community in the area. Cllr Patrick Nicholson (Ind, Plympton St Mary) called the move by National Highways as “wholly non-sensical” as it could mean Gables effectively having no access to its own land.

“I hope these matters are resolved, National Highways says it needs to deliver value for money but in what context, cutting off access to vital local charity is not good value for money for taxpayers so there must be a way forward.

“National bodies like this need to recognise their actions have massive impact on local communities.”