Following the Ashburton District Council's decision to decline a Certificate of Compliance application for the store, the animal welfare charity would require resource consent to remain at the 418 West St site as it is in a business C zone.
However, the charity is not applying for consent and will instead close the shop.
SPCA national property manager Lee Burnham said the non-profit organisation’s resources and funding is limited.
"Additional expenses would divert precious resources away from our mission," Burnham said.
"We remain hopeful that, in the future, we can identify another ideal location within Ashburton.
"Presently for us, the CBD does not provide the conducive environment necessary for our fundraising efforts, as we often require larger sites with ample parking and easy accessibility for our supporters and donation drop-offs.
"Moreover, we require a suitable space at the rear for processing these donations, all of which undergo a rigorous processing procedure before they can be sold to support our cause," he said.
The shop opened on July 19 but was forced to close six days later when the district council advised it could not be at the site due to the zone, which is for limited commercial activities and light industrial activities.
