Nottinghamshire lion keeper Reece Oliver confident over animal sanctuary plans amid water pollution concerns

Lion keeper Reece Oliver says he is confident over plans for an animal sanctuary near a Nottinghamshire village after concerns were raised over water pollution. Mr Oliver hopes to build 10 enclosures and 27 guest lodges on land near Station House in Trowell.

Named The Broxtowe Retreat, the 23-acre development would also include a themed spa and restaurant. However, a report was undertaken after the Environmental Agency said the application did not show it could manage the risk of contaminated soil polluting surrounding waters, including the River Erewash.

Mr Oliver, from Strelley, said he was actioning the report, which found the environmental risks were “moderate to high” and recommended further investigation. The 32-year-old said: “It will only improve the soil because the contaminated soil will be removed and cleaned, soil is already being discharged into the river. It will create a betterment to the controlled waters.”

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An objection was raised by the Environment Agency after the application was submitted in December 2022. It said the proposals did not demonstrate these risks could be appropriately managed, planning documents show. An environmental risk assessment was subsequently undertaken, which found contamination was present on the site due to its past industrial use, including for Trowell Forge and tramways.

The land south of Ilkeston Road in Trowell, Nottinghamshire

“Given the proximity of the surface water receptor (River Erewash), it is likely that surface run-off from contaminated soils will enter the river,” the report by M-EC Consulting states.

It said the presence of made ground – land where natural and undisturbed soils have largely been replaced by man-made or artificial materials – meant there is a “high likelihood” that contaminated surface runoff would enter the groundwater and surface water.

The report added ground gas could also be generated as a result, which would require protection measures. The report said the southern field of the site will also be impacted by “significant levels of contamination”, meaning contaminated soils may need to be removed.

In planning documents, applicants Aspbury Planning said: “Due to the potential contamination on-site the cleaning up of the site will create a betterment to the controlled waters as pollutants resulting from surface runoff would be removed from the site and a clean capping layer provided as part of the mitigation.”

It is expected the sanctuary would create more than 60 jobs. Mr Oliver, who keeps a Canadian puma, lion, lioness and two cubs, previously described the sanctuary as “world-class”.

He said he hopes the application will be considered by Broxtowe Borough Council’s planning committee in April.