A CONTROVERSIAL application to relocate up to 80 hunting hounds, and an associated fallen stock business, 1.4 miles west of the quiet village of Treffgarne is to come back before county planners.

A previous planning application to move Pembrokeshire Hunt’s kennels and associated fallen stock business from Sladeway Kennels, Haverfordwest, to agricultural land at Tan y Garne was withdrawn last year to allow for a pre- application consultation.

The new application, 18/1232/PA, is open for public feedback until March 29.

The change of use application seeks to convert the site’s existing agricultural building into dog kennels, a linked fallen stock business, with siting of a caravan for the kennel huntsman and hybrid use of part of the adjacent field as an exercise area for hounds and for agriculture.

Six outdoor kennel runs, with 1.5-metre-high metal mesh fencing, would also be created.

The hunt’s other business is Pembrokeshire Fallen Stock which collects fallen stock, transporting it to the kennels site.

The hounds are fed raw flesh with the unused parts of any carcass stored in closed bins which are taken every two weeks. Skins or hides are carefully cut from carcasses, salted and sold separately.

The previous application caused concern among local residents and a petition collected dozens of signatures against the application.

A letter from Pembrokeshire County Council’s public protection division states that objections have been received from local residents and the community council about noise from the hounds, odours from the pack and associated effluent and from the processing of fallen stock as well as the disposal of faecal waste both from the pack and fallen stock remnants.

The Pembrokeshire Hunt management plan states:

“It is the hunt’s dedicated commitment, that in Treffgarne, they will maintain the excellent relationship and compliance with DEFRA, Pembrokeshire CC and Natural Resources Wales that already exists.”

The plan states a that huntsman, or his assistant will be on site 24 hours a day.

“Hounds by nature are quiet animals with occasional short bursts when food is distributed or when they are being loaded for transport to exercise,” states the plan.

It adds that all feeding activities will be carried out within the main building and that the hounds will be exercised in batches but will not be transported through Treffgarne Village.

It states that all drainage waste will be stored in the secure cess pool sunken storage tank which will be pumped out, collected and removed off site by a registered waste disposal company.

Waste from fallen stock will be put into sealed bins, which will be washed down disinfected and resealed, and kept in shipping type container.

Members of the public have until March 29 to comment on the application, reference number 18/1232/PA.