Ex-donkey sanctuary sale could earn council £790k

A former animal sanctuary could fetch Leeds City Council more than three quarters of a million pounds after being put up for auction.

Council bosses decided the site, in Eccup, which was formerly run by the Donkey Sanctuary charity and which was closed in August, was surplus to requirements and a sale would raise cash for the authority which must save over £100m this year.

An auction site listing said the three-acre (1.2 hectare) property at Swan Lane could raise over £790,000 and the property, which includes an equestrian centre, outdoor arenas, barns and stables, could be redeveloped into housing.

The council said an auction sale would be quicker than inviting buyers on the open market.

A total of 23 donkeys were re-homed after the charity, which leased the site from Leeds City Council since 1998, said rising costs were behind the closure.

Twelve jobs were lost when the Leeds sanctuary closed, along with sites in Manchester, Birmingham and Ivybridge in Devon.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the listing for the former animal sanctuary, which is near Blackhill Lane and Lineham Farm, stated: "This exceptional site comprises an extensive range of buildings surrounded by some spectacular countryside.

"The property is set amid the greenbelt in one of the most prestigious locations of West Yorkshire, and is ideally placed to access the vibrant centres of Leeds, Harrogate and York."

Pugh Auctions added: "Bramhope village centre, providing a range of local amenities including shops, schools, a public house, sporting and leisure facilities, is close by."

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