We are so excited to announce that we have recently managed to secure planning permission for a new barn to be built for our cow residents!

It’s taken a while for us to get the planning approved but we finally have permission from the local council and we are so excited to get this project started. It is a big space and the reason we want to build a barn here is to create better winter accommodation for the cows. They are currently living in a make-shift temporary winter accommodation, as they can’t be out in the fields during the winter because the ground is too soft and needs time to recover ready for spring.

The new barn will be incredibly beneficial for the cows as it will allow them more space during the winter months as due to the size of the space where the barn is going to be built, they can have both indoor and outdoor hard standing areas so that they can have the best of both worlds during the winter months without damaging any of the land. The space in the new barn can also double as hay and straw storage which means that we can stock up and have a steady supply all throughout winter. It will also provide valuable space to be able to house future rescues meaning that we can save even more animals and provide them with a safe home for the rest of their lives.

DESIGN

The plans are for a 20m x 20m barn with a 10m overhang, which will provide the residents with a sheltered outside space. There will be two large doors at either end of the building to allow easy access for the residents as well as for us to be able to muck out.

The internal space will be open, but we are planning to have movable fences so that we can change and adapt the space as necessary to meet the needs of the residents. The large adaptable indoor space will also mean that we will have more housing available to take in and help more animals in need! We would love to be able to finish construction in time for Winter 2023 so the cows can enjoy their new, bigger space! The frame will be steel, with concrete and timber-clad walls.

The design
plans

We want to get this project started as soon as we can, but the only problem is the costs to be able to construct the barn (materials, labour etc) have increased dramatically in recent times, and have in fact almost tripled in the past two years because of everything that’s happening in the UK and all around the world. 

We have acquired several quotes from various vendors to get an idea of how much everything is likely to cost. In total we expect the project to come out at around £100,000. Obviously, this cost is for everything to be brand new and we will be looking to get good quality, previously used items where practical and we are able to try and be as environmentally friendly and bring costs down as much as possible! 

We are currently fundraising to be able to make this project a reality and we would really love your support, because every pound that is donated will help towards the costs and allow us to build the best space possible for the animals. 

We have an incredibly kind donor who has agreed to match all donations - so this means that every donation will be doubled and hopefully we can reach our goal sooner!

If you are able to, you can support our fundraiser either by donating any amount you can spare, or sharing the page with friends and family, on social media, or even in your community, and help us to reach our goal and get this barn built for the residents.

From all of us at the sanctuary, thank you!