A NEW aviary could be built on Dartmoor to help injured, starving and displaced owls and birds of prey recover before being released back into the wild.

Submitted by the Barn Owl Trust, the application - reference 0256/26 - is seeking permission for the construction of a small owl rehabilitation aviary on land owned and managed by the charity at its base of operations near Ashburton.

The facility would be used exclusively for conservation and wildlife rehabilitation.

Dartmoor National Park Authority are due to make a decision by October 5.

According to the planning statement supporting the application, the aviary would provide a controlled environment where birds could regain strength and undertake flight conditioning before being returned to the wild.

The charity says many of the casualties requiring rehabilitation are the result of human activity or changes to the environment, including road traffic collisions, loss of nest and roost sites and extreme or abnormal weather.

The proposed timber-framed aviary would measure approximately 6.5 metres by 3.5 metres, with a maximum height of three metres, positioned alongside an existing owl rehabilitation aviary already operating on the site.

The aviary would be constructed using timber framing and wire mesh, with sections of timber cladding on two sides to provide shelter from prevailing weather.

Part of the roof would use anthracite-coloured corrugated steel sheeting, while a roof panel would allow rehabilitated birds to leave the enclosure safely when they are ready for release.

The structure would sit on a shallow concrete plinth with two rows of concrete blocks, designed to provide stability and prevent timber decay.

Species potentially benefiting from the facility include Barn Owls, Tawny Owls, Little Owls, Sparrowhawks, Buzzards and Kestrels.

The planning statement describes flight aviaries as an ‘essential component’ of responsible raptor rehabilitation, saying that the proposed facility would ‘significantly’ improve the likelihood of successful bird releases.

To view the associated documents in full, and to comment on the application, visit Dartmoor National Park Authority’s planning portal and enter ‘0256/26’ into the search-box.