The charity hopes to have the new centre up and running in 2006 and today’s commitment to the town and Angus has been widely welcomed, just a couple of years after the future of staff at the centre came under scrutiny as part of a national review of the organisation.

Under the new plan, the Forfar centre will feature the latest in kennel design, indoor and outdoor training facilities for the important initial training of guide dogs, and visitor viewing areas.

It will also become a focus for the association’s fundraising and volunteering support in Scotland.

The charity will move to secure satisfactory planning permission and conclude negotiations over land at the Orchardbank Business Park development to the west of the town, where new offices for Angus Council are already earmarked.

Princess Alexandra House would then be vacated once the new centre is up and running in 2006.

The Association’s Guide Dog Training Manager for Scotland, Dave Rankin said today, “The proposed new centre is an exciting development in the history of GDBA and underlines our commitment both to Scotland and to the Forfar area where we have trained guide dogs for the past 39 years.

“While the present site has served us well, the time has come for us to invest in the future and develop dog training facilities that match our position as the world leader in the breeding and training of guide dogs.”

As with the present centre, trainee guide dogs would come into the new facility at around 12-months old and undergo the important initial training phase before going out to the district teams around the UK for final mobility and partnership training.

GDBA say the planned design of the new kennels reflects the latest thinking in dog welfare with dogs being housed in such a way that they will be able to see and interact with each other.

“This is less stressful, leading to an even better response by the dogs to training,” said Mr Rankin.

Outdoors the new centre will have a purpose-built training area featuring roadways, crossings for traffic training, pelican and zebra crossings, and obstacles such as general street furniture.

Mr Rankin continued, “Approaches to dog training and techniques continue to evolve and the initial introduction, bonding and development of obedience responses with the new handler are a critical factor in the initial training process.

“An indoor, all-weather training area would enable the trainers to work with the dogs on a one-to-one basis away from the distractions of the kennel environment.

“The indoor facilities would also feature obstacle and agility equipment.”

The charity believes incorporating such facilities on-site will increase the time trainers spend with each dog, reduce the need to travel to outdoor training areas and ultimately provide a more conducive and efficient training environment.