Isabelle Vets has been given permission to change the use of Garenne House into the island’s first 24/7 veterinary hospital, along with staff accommodation.
The new animal hospital at Garenne Park would include six consulting rooms, 13 kennels, a 20 space cattery, three operating theatres, a dental room, X-ray facilities, a pharmacy and a small animal area.
Plans have also been agreed for specialist horse facilities including a pre-operative area, operating theatre, treatment room, one internal stable, and three outdoor stables.
Facilities would be provided for staff including offices, meeting rooms, break areas. showers and changing rooms – while the first floor would house a three-bed flat with ensuites, and a kitchen, lounge and dining area.
Isabelle Vets says the facility would improve the customer and pet experience by separating cats and dogs at reception and providing a dedicated room for sensitive matters such as euthanasia.
It would also reduce the need for animals to be treated off-island, and there is also scope for an MRI scanner to be introduced in future, which would be another first for the island.
The building has been on the market for its current industrial use after it was vacated by the Garenne Group following its collapse, but no interested parties have come forward.
Planning noted that residential units wouldn’t normally be permitted at the site, but it was accepted that permanent accommodation would be essential to allow around the clock care of animals.
“The lack of accommodation has been a serious limiting factor for the practice to recruit clinical staff and has been the most important factor in losing otherwise interested clinicians to join the practice,” the decision notice added.
“The facility will also enable locals who are qualified in areas such as equine nutrition, management, sports therapy, osteopathy and physiotherapy to return to the island for work and other staff will be required to manage the yard, reception and exercise the horses,” it continued.
“Recruitment and retention of staff is difficult and it is important to provide a positive work-life balance, where there is an expectation to work day or night. At present staff undertake late night checks before going home unless they are needed for emergencies and this facility would offer dedicated night staff which will improve retention in the industry and the equine and small animal hospital will attract experienced vets to the island.”
19 car parking spaces would be available and new cycle hoops would be installed under the plans.
Isabelle Vets also wants to install 23 air conditioning units to the side of the building
Environmental Health had raised concerns about the noise generated by operations and the potential for bad odours and flies.
Planning has sought to address this by applying conditions on the time manure can be removed from the site and requiring that an acoustic barrier is installed to prevent a nuisance to nearby residents.
It has also decided that a maximum of three horses can be held at the facility at any one time.
But the wider benefits of the scheme were recognised: “There are no bespoke facilities to admit, hospitalise, investigate or undertake operations. Treatments at a stable yard are far less common in the UK. In Guernsey it is necessary for horses to be referred off island for treatment when they may be critically ill and unfit for travel by boat”.
You can read the full decision HERE.