DEVELOPMENT at a Selby area donkey sanctuary has been approved against planning officers' wishes, after it was claimed animals could be a danger to the public.

An application was submitted to Selby District Council for the creation of a segregation yard and stable at the Little Oaks Donkey Sanctuary in Cridling Stubbs, because "the stallions need to be segregated for their own safety and the safety of the public".

The application saw replacement of the current stables with a larger building, and a change of use of some agricultural land at the site, to keep the male donkeys separated from the females.

Planning officers said the development should be refused because the site was located in the greenbelt of West Yorkshire and that the new stables were larger than the current ones.

However, the plans were approved by the council's planning committee after a report was submitted with the plans by the applicants, which said the male donkeys would become "aggressive, agitated and also being difficult to handle when the mares are in season".

It said: "The risk of injury to staff, members of the public and helpers would be greatly increased if the males and females are not separated and the proposed stables and yard are to be located away from the public in order to allow a treatment area, grooming and rehabilitation work to take place."