ANIMAL charity Blue Cross has applied to set up a new rehoming, advice and behavioural unit in Langstone.

The proposed site – Drake House in Langstone Business Village – would be bigger than the charity’s current base in Willenhall Street in the centre of Newport, and would employ an additional three people.

Replacing the Newport location, it would be the charity’s only rehoming location in Wales though there is a charity shop in Abergavenny.

It would house 13 employees, up from 10 on Willenhall Street, along with an ambitious plan to double the number of people and pets they help within three years.

The charity helps cats and dogs, small animals such as rabbits, hamsters, rats and mice, and horses.

Pets would be situated on the ground floor while staff would use the first floor as office space.

The small animals could be kept at the unit overnight while waiting to be rehomed, though dogs are typically not, the planning statement says.

Inside, there would be a dedicated room for training pups and pooches, with two fenced gardens out the front for dogs who cannot be walked – one for small dogs, and another for large dogs.

The “wellbeing spaces” will be enclosed using a green two-metre high security mesh fencing and dogs will never be left unsupervised.

Animal waste would be taken weekly by a waste collection and disposal company.

South Wales Argus: The proposed site - Drake House in Langstone Business Village

The planning statement says the building would be occupied by staff from 8am until 6pm every day of the week, and open to the public between 2pm and 4pm every day apart from Wednesday.

Despite the drastic change in use, the applicant expects “no major internal or external changes” to the property.

Blue Cross also runs a pet foodbank service, with items available for delivery or collection. Design documents show a foodbank room at the rear of the ground floor.

Newport City Council validated the planning application on Thursday, November 16. An approval decision has not yet been made.