The owner of a popular Alpaca Centre in Horwich will hear today whether the five star attraction can continue. A planning application for Poppywood Alpacas is recommended for approval by Bolton Council's planning officers. Pippa Berry started the farm at a site in Wilderswood, Horwich , after a riding accident left her unable to run the site as a stud.
She started the alpaca centre off Brownlow Road but, around two years ago, she switched it for another building with additional facilities including a cafe and a classroom. (Image: Pippa Berry) She was under the impression there was no need for planning permission after contact with Bolton Council but she later learnt this was not the case. The planning permission application has proposed for the continued use of the site as an alpaca walking centre, which has been used since May 2021, along with the erection of a detached timber building for use as an ancillary café, classroom, a gift shop and erection of a field shelter.
Pippa said: “We asked the planning department in 2020, when we planned to change the business to an alpaca walking centre, whether we’d need permission to walk them, and we were told we didn’t. (Image: Pippa Berry) “We’ve since converted one of the buildings to function as a tearoom, gift shop and a classroom for students. We lodged a planning application and didn’t get a response, despite trying to contact the council on multiple occasions.
“Fourteen months later we had someone from the counc.