New Arc animal charity founders given permission to build new home

The founders of animal charity New Arc have been given the go-ahead to build a home they can retire to on the rescue centre site near Auchnagatt.

Keith and Pauline Marley applied to Aberdeenshire Council seeking permission for the three-bedroom bungalow just 200 metres from the facility at Nether Auquhadlie.

The couple stepped down from their New Arc duties at the end of last year after 16 years of hard and almost endless work.

Keith previously revealed that during their time in charge of the charity, they had just five days off and had “earned a bit of a rest”.

But, they decided to wind down as they were approaching retirement age and had suffered from some health difficulties.

The dedicated duo handed the reins over to Paul Reynolds and partner Morgane Ristic, who made the move north from their previous rescue centre in Hampshire.

The new managers will move into Keith and Pauline’s current home on the New Arc site after the newly approved home is built.

But it hasn’t been an easy journey to get permission for the house.

The duo’s initial plan to build the home in a disused paddock was knocked back by local authority planners last March.

Council chiefs believed the proposal did not meet policy and thought it would have a “negative” impact on the character of the area.

However, Keith and Pauline’s application was granted just five months later after they made an appeal against the decision to the local review body.

Members claimed the home was “essential” to allow the animal rescue charity to continue its valuable work.

But, an amended proposal recently went before the Formartine area committee as the couple asked to move the new home 30 metres closer to the centre.

They argued that the change would give them a better view of the surrounding fields and allow them to be close enough to lend a helping hand if needed.

Council planners had recommended the plan be approved as they believed the building’s scale and design was in keeping with the surrounding area.

Councillor Isobel Davidson noted it was a “very minor change” and said she was “quite pleased” that the initial application was approved on appeal.

She suggested the proposal be approved and it was unanimously granted by the committee.

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