Additional Reporting by Joe Crossley

A charity boss has pleaded not guilty to breaching an abatement order to prevent “nuisance noise” at her animal sanctuary.

Amey James who runs Happy Pants Ranch, near Sittingbourne, attended Medway Magistrates’ Court on November 15 for the plea hearing.

She was served with a 176-page document from Swale council alleging Happy Pants Ranch had failed to comply with the conditions of a noise abatement notice between March 4 and June 30.

It said the rescue centre failed to “take all necessary steps to abate the nuisance from cumulative constant daily noise from animals including cockerels, geese, sheep, cattle and dogs kept in on the premises”.

But charity owner Amey said: “Countryside animals making noise in the countryside is not an offence.

“It’s sickening how much time and money the court case is going to cost. Since we’ve moved here it’s literally been relentless.

“This is something I never expected to go through as an animal charity - I feel like this is massive injustice.”

Since she has pleaded not guilty, Amey was told it will go to trial next year.

“The amount we’re having to pay for legal fees just seems completely unnecessary. It’s not a nice position to be in,” she added.

As well as the abatement order, on November 20 she attended a planning appeal hearing which will provide the outcome of a three-year dispute.

When Amey moved to the site in Bobbing, near Sittingbourne, in 2021, she retrospectively applied to change the use of the land from agricultural to animal rescue which she thought would be “straightforward”.

She said: “The only difference is we are using the land for animals but not-for-profit and if it was agricultural use we’d be using it for profit.”

The application received 29 letters of support and two objections. However, planning permission was refused by Swale council in April 2022.

But on Wednesday, the appeal hearing was finally heard by planning Inspector, Diane Fleming at Swale House in Sittingbourne.

Speaking of the complaints, Amey said: “I believe we make a noise but I don’t believe it’s a noise nuisance.”

The document from the council is also understood to outline noise made by tractors, “people talking”, hammering, sawing and “honks” with the dates and times when the reported offences occurred.

But given the rural location of the sanctuary’s site, she added: “If we can’t live here where can we live – this isn’t a residential area.

“This is a waste of council resources and taxpayers’ money and the charity’s money – it’s just bonkers.

She hopes the trial will prove she is not making a noise “nuisance”.

If the appeal is not successful the council said Amey will have six months to find somewhere else to go, but she says it would leave her without a home for herself and the 400 animals she rescued.

Speaking after the appeal hearing, Amey said: “These animals have come to us because nobody wanted them, this was the last chance saloon.

“So to suddenly go out and find homes for them all and sanctuary space without having to have them euthanised - for me that would be the end result because I can see us managing to find homes for that many animals.

“But I made a promise to these animals and I will keep fighting for them.”

Amey will find out the outcome of the planning hearing in the next four to six weeks.

A spokesperson for Swale council said: “We have a duty to investigate any complaints that we receive, and we always try to work with all those involved to resolve the situation in an amicable manner, court action is always a last resort.”