Prince Charles’ dream of creating haven for red squirrels on his Scottish estate is dashed after heritage bosses ask where the protected animals would come from
- Prince Charles wanted to build a red squirrel enclosure in Ayrshire, Scotland
- The visitor attraction was to be made up of walkways through a wooded area
- Scottish National Heritage needed to know where the trees would come from
- Dumfries House Trust was forced to withdraw the plans after being questioned
Prince Charles’ plans to create a haven for red squirrels in the garden of his country estate have been dashed.
The Prince of Wales hoped to build a visitor attraction in woodland at Dumfries House, near Cumnock in Ayrshire, Scotland.
It was to be made up of raised wooden walkways in line with the branches of scots pine, oak, and sycamore trees.
But Scottish National Heritage wanted to know where the squirrels would come from and how they would be kept separate from their grey enemies.
The Prince of Wales hoped to build a visitor attraction in woodland at Dumfries House, near Cumnock in Ayrshire, Scotland. It was to be made up of raised wooden platforms
The Dumfries House Trust was forced to withdraw the plans when they failed to find an answer.
Red squirrels are a protected species and under schedules five and six of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is illegal to harm or kill them.
Scottish National Heritage said: ‘We advise that you ask the applicant to provide the following additional information regarding where the squirrels will be coming from, and how many.
‘If the squirrels are to be taken from the wild, a licence will be required from SNH.’
They also added that they wanted ‘assurances that the red squirrels will be kept in the enclosure’ and that the proposal does not ‘constitute a conservation, translocation or reintroduction’.
The Dumfries House (pictured) Trust was forced to withdraw the plans when they failed to find an answer to Scottish National Heritage’s questions
‘Further information regarding how the red squirrel will be kept in and how the grey squirrel will be kept out,’ was needed.
The red squirrel population is dwindling because of an increasing number of grey squirrels competing for their food and encroaching on their habitat.
The non-native greys also carry a pox virus that is fatal to red squirrels.
The prince is patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust and has backed culls of grey squirrels and government plans to sterilise them using traps filled with Nutella.
Scottish National Heritage wanted to know where the squirrels would come from and how they would be kept separate from their grey enemies (file image)
Planning documents submitted to the Prince’s local council state: ‘This planning application is for the creation of a fenced area within a woodland environment to house translocated red squirrels.’
Under the plans, the development would consist of several raised walkways within a fenced area to allow people to walk around to view the rare squirrels.
The enclosure would be in an area of woodland covering approximately 0.8 acres surrounded by a fence approximately 1.8m high.
Under the plans (pictured), the development would consist of several raised walkways within a fenced area to allow people to walk around to view the rare squirrels
Martin O’Hare, from West of Scotland Archeology Service, added: ‘We have identified several issues associated with development in this section of the estate.
‘Firstly, and in general terms, the land proposed for development under this application falls within the designed landscape associated with Dumfries House.
‘While the house is category A-listed and is of exceptional architectural significance, the landscape associated with it is also considered to be of outstanding architectural value.’
The enclosure would be in an area of woodland covering approximately 0.8 acres surrounded by a fence approximately 1.8m high. Pictured, an artist’s mock up of the area
Prince Charles developed his love for red squirrels while growing up on the Queen’s Sandringham estate.
He said: ‘My great ambition is to have one in the house. Sitting on the breakfast table and on my shoulder.
‘If I sit there quietly, they will do so around me.
Families would be able to walk up walkway until they’re in line with the tree branches and able to see the squirrels
The plans have been scrapped since it is unknown where the squirrels would come from
‘Sometimes, when I leave my jackets on a chair with nuts in the pockets, I see them with their tails sticking out, as they hunt for nuts – they are incredibly special creatures.’
In a message on the Red Squirrel Survival Trust website, he wrote: ‘Our red squirrels are facing a battle for survival. It seems almost incomprehensible to me that we have allowed this situation to happen.’
The prince helped arrange a £45million deal to buy Dumfries House and its collection of Chippendale furniture in 2007.
His own charitable foundation contributed £20million.
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