Plans to build and open a zoo in Greater Manchester have switched from Trafford to Rochdale.
Rochdale council confirmed today it was in talks over the 'Manchester Zoo' proposals.
A sprawling site of more than 150 acres of council land around the Middleton campus of Hopwood Hall College has been identified.
A public consultation over the proposals is expected to take place in the summer, the council said.
The man behind Manchester Zoo, zoologist and former assistant head keeper at Blackpool Zoo, Johnpaul Houston, has presented a vision document to the council.
The matter was also discussed among the council's ruling cabinet of councillors, with the plan receiving 'unanimous support', council sources said.
Formal planning applications could now be submitted by the end of the year, the council said.
The council own the land involved, although no decisions have been made as yet regarding the transfer of land.
Mr Houston presented his vision to the council 12 months ago, the M.E.N. can reveal, and the plans were discussed privately at a cabinet meeting held last Wednesday.
Initially, he was working with Trafford council, but those talks ended with no deal being reached.
A council source said councillors were 'hugely impressed' with the plans and the detail contained within them, which include a possible new public transport interchange at Slattocks nearby.
One said: "It has the potential to be huge for Rochdale."
Mr Houston has been in zoo management for more than a decade and has previously worked at Chester Zoo, Twycross Zoo in Warwickshire and the former Blackbrook Zoological Park, near Leek.
He left his position at Blackpool Zoo, where he was also head of birds, small mammals and reptiles, after eight years in September, 2018, to concentrate fully on the Manchester Zoo plans.
Coun Allen Brett, leader of Rochdale council, said: "We can confirm that we are in talks with Manchester Zoo about the opening of a zoo on council land around the Hopwood Hall College campus in Middleton.
"These talks are in their early stages and no decisions have been made as yet regarding the transfer of land.
"We are expecting a public consultation to take place in the summer on the proposals ahead of a planning application before the end of the year."
It's understood a number of separate parcels of land around the site, which is close to a junction of the M60 motorway, are under consideration.
The multi-million pound 'Manchester Zoo' project is being developed by Johnpaul Houston and is years in the making.
The M.E.N. first revealed the plans in December, 2018 - with different zones being planned for different animals and continents.
Mr Houston said he's secured private, multi-million pound funding to realise the development.
The business plan references big cats including lions, as well as penguins, birds of prey, giraffes, flamingos, monkeys and themed attractions featuring an array of other animals.
But Mr Houston said major emphasis would be placed on conservation, education and saving threatened species.
A business plan states: "The over-arching objective is to become a leader for socio-economic advancement in the local area, in the field of conservation, sustainability and zoo education and research.
"The zoo aims to become a beacon within the community, drawing the community together and creating a unique environment in which to learn new skills, gain new drive and foster public well-being and community spirit."
Greater Manchester’s last zoo, Belle Vue Zoological Gardens, attracted an average of 2.1 million visitors a year until it closed in 1977.
Opened in 1836, Belle Vue began as a private collection of birds but grew to include Asian elephants and chimpanzees to become the country’s third largest zoo at the time.
