Design for city’s new animal pound is in progress

Environmental Planning and Building Services director Neil Southorn said progress has been made on the design and tenders will soon be called for a final design. 

“Council will be seeking tenders for detailed design as well as construction, based on a concept design that has been under review,” he said. 

“The tender documents are nearing completion.”

Plans to build a new pound were revealed in council’s 2017-18 budget, where it had allocated $2.5 million to build the new facility. 

During discussion of the draft budget in May, 2017, general manager David Sherley had suggested that vacant land on Hampton Park Road would be the site for the new pound. 

Mr Southorn was able to confirm this month that it was now the proposed location. 

Building a new pound will solve a number of issues that the current facility, on the corner of Lloyds Road and Vale Road, has faced.

These issues include regularly reaching capacity and new standards set to be introduced by the NSW government for council pounds. 

The current facility will not meet the new standards and cannot be retrofitted without substantial expansion to the footprint and at a considerable cost.

“The new facility will comply with the draft Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Cats and Dogs in Council Pounds and Animal Shelters,” Mr Southorn said.

“Council's commitment to build a new facility demonstrates good faith in moving toward the new standards, noting the new standards are not yet adopted by the NSW Government.”

While council hasn’t revealed any official deadlines to have the facility constructed by, Mr Southorn indicated council would be moving quickly on the project. 

“[Council plans] to commence construction as soon as practical after council approves a tender and the detailed design is finalised,” he said.