West Midlands Safari Park gets green light for new rhino and cheetah lodges
Four new lodges have received planning permission
West Midlands Safari Park has been granted permission for two new rhino lodges and two cheetah lodges, allowing visitors closer encounters and clearer views of the park’s African animals.
The award-winning park near Bewdley welcomes more than 750,000 visitors a year.
The new rhino lodges follow an existing development, which was granted permission by Wyre Forest District Council in February 2025 and included a rhino house and two lodges. The new lodges are required to cope with high demand from visitors, park bosses said.
The new rhino lodges are set to be built along the southern boundary of the existing scheme.
A design and access statement submitted with the application by Painter Architects on behalf of West Midlands Safari Park (WMSP) said: “The rhino lodges are smaller in scale than the existing approved lodges, all on one level with a dual pitch gabled roof and gable roof over the viewing deck.
“Lodge guests will get the proximity and immersive experience of being with the animals whilst maintaining rigorous safety standards. These lodges are spatially separated to ensure that guests are immersed in the world of the rhinos without external distraction. The separation of lodges also helps maintain visual openness of the site.”
The planning application for the rhino lodges was received by the council in June this year and approved on Thursday (October 15).
The application for two new cheetah lodges was approved on the same date. A design and access statement said: “Following the development of the existing cheetah exhibit including cheetah house and two lodges, two new lodges are required to cope with demand.
“The new lodges fit into the scheme along the southern side which is currently a track. The viewing window will be moved to make way for the lodges and relocated to maintain the visitor experience.
“The cheetah lodges are very similar to the existing approved lodges, all on one level with a gently sloping monopitch roof.”
Both proposals also included two bat boxes, two bird boxes and two insect hotels to be installed on the side of each lodge, to comply with biodiversity net gain guidelines.
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