Past conduct could come back to bite zoo-dispute man

AN inquiry into an illegal petting zoo continued yesterday, with the revelation that its owner has breached council regulations more than a dozen times before.

The second day of a public inquiry into the illegal Lancaster Farm mini-zoo heard how owner Ben Lancaster had been in hot water with Oldham Council’s planning department more than 12 times since he took ownership of the Mills Hill land in 1990.

Council representatives revealed that the 72-year-old has, among other things, illegally stored and burned waste on it, built several walls and storage for machinery and allowed a fairground to be set up for two weeks in 1998.

On several occasions he has applied for planning permission after work has already been carried out — or has carried out work after permission has been refused.

Council solicitor Alan Evans said: “There has been a long history of enforcement action taken against Mr Lancaster since 1990.

“The council has no confidence, given this history, that granting planning permission will improve stewardship of the land.”

The most recent row broke out when Mr Lancaster launched the mini-zoo, on the site off Middleton Road, in 2011.

Mr Lancaster now faces a month-long wait for a decision on the fate of his business.
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