A planning application has been submitted (22/00464/B) to build a new vet’s practice at Kennaa farm stables in St John’s.

Medicor Veterinary Practice, which has been operating since 2018 and currently has a staff of 11, says it has outgrown its current practice, off the New Castletown Road in Santon.

It is run by Agnieszka and Lukasz Kuberka.

In an accompanying planning statement Medicor points out that ‘there is no equestrian clinic and rehabilitation centre on the island’.

It adds: ‘We have been asked numerous times about care that could be provided for large animals especially within the equestrian community on the Isle of Man.

‘Currently there is no equestrian clinic and rehabilitation centre on the island. We are looking to create a world standard medical centre for small and large animals on our island that will allow us to help the animals locally without the necessity to travel to the United Kingdom.’

Medicor says this ‘not only comes at a great cost to the owners but is also incredibly stressful on the already vulnerable animals’, and it aims to be able to provide new medical services in the proposed clinic which are not currently available in the island.

New premises would allow for the space and human resources to expand the practice into this area, and enable room to fit more diagnostic equipment.

The existing Kennaa Equestrian Centre has stables for more than 50 horses.

Medicor’s goal is to install a CT scanner and MRI facilities in an advanced diagnostic centre, enabling spinal and joint replacement surgeries to be carried out on-island.

There would be four consultation rooms, three surgical wards for small animals, a bespoke equestrian clinic to accommodate space for two vets, and a stable for stationary treatment for horse patients.

Outdoors would be space for the rehabilitation and exercise of horses.

The planning statement argues that Kennaa Equestrian Centre’s business would also be boosted by the presence of the planned vet practice, with their clients being able to keep their animals in one place by also accessing medical care for them at Kennaa.