Leeds City Council to sell former donkey sanctuary site for housing
The Donkey Sanctuary site shut down last year - with the charity blaming rising costs
A former donkey sanctuary could be turned into housing after being put up for sale by the council.
Twenty-three donkeys had to be re-homed after the closure of the site in Eccup, run by The Donkey Sanctuary charity.
The organisation, which leased the site from Leeds City Council since 1998, said rising costs were behind the closure last August.
Now the Swan Lane site is to be sold at auction after council bosses decided it was surplus to requirements.
A council report said the sale would raise cash for the authority, which must make savings of more than £100m this year.
It said: “A sale will realise a capital receipt and to alleviate the council of future maintenance liabilities.
“It is assumed that the new owner will develop the property, potentially for residential use.”
The report said an auction sale of the site, near Blackhill Lane and Lineham Farm, would be quicker than inviting buyers on the open market.
It said: “The location of the property and the development potential that the property offers is likely to make it a popular listing.
“The price realised will reflect the financial investment a new owner will have to make in completing a development.”
Twelve jobs were lost when the Leeds sanctuary closed, along with sites in Manchester, Birmingham and Ivybridge in Devon.
The charity was founded in Devon in 1969 by Dr Elisabeth Svendsen to help abused and homeless donkeys.
It since looked after around 20,000 animals at farms and sanctuaries in England and Northern Ireland.