A planning application has been submitted to Torfaen Council for a centre where dog owners can leave their pet during the day while they’re at work. The plan also includes an adventure park for pets can exercise over obstacles.
Councillors on the planning committee will make a decision on Thursday 15 July 2021. The officer’s report recommends that the application is approved.
The site of the proposed new business is Little Cwrt Bach Farm, Pentre Lane, Henllys, Cwmbran.
The application is for: “Change of use from agricultural use to a dog exercise area/adventure park and a dog care facility including the construction of a new building to provide a dog care facility, a new “meet and greet” shed, parking for 8 vehicles, associated paths and boundaries and altered access.”
During the consultation 27 people said the facility was needed to help dog owners who bought their pets during the pandemic while homeworking but were now returning to their workplace. Another reason was to “have a safe area for dogs given the increase in dog thefts.”
Three people gave objections with the main issue being increased traffic in the area and possible problems with barking. The application says that “dogs who exhibit excessive, persistent patterns of barking behaviour will be restricted from using the facility.”
The officer’s report recommends that the plan are approved with a number of conditions including:
- Only dogs from one household can use the adventure park at the same time (max of four)
- A maximum of 40 dogs in the day care unit
- No more than ten bookings a day for the adventure park
Information from the report
“The proposed development is a change of use to provide a dog day care/dog adventure park. The proposal includes the construction of a dog day care centre building, Adventure Park and a meet and greet shed as well as new access, parking area, enclosures and environmental enhancements including a planting scheme, creation of a wild flower meadow and the construction of bird/bat boxes within the site.
“The dog day care element for the site will involve constant supervision of all dogs including activities for up to a maximum of 40 dogs. This will be done via a collection and drop off basis only using 2 vans than can accommodate up to 10 dogs resulting in up to 2 journeys in the morning and 2 in the afternoon.
“The dog day care will be operated between 9am and 5pm. The adventure park will operate with a maximum of 4 dogs from one household at any one time for a period of 1 hour with staggered booking times to avoid cross over. The use of the adventure park will be limited based on day light hours running between 8am and 8pm in the summer and reduce based on daylight hours in autumn and winter.
“The maximum number of bookings would be 10 per day. The parking area is proposed to be used by the 2 vans associated with the use, customer parking for the Adventure Park and staff.
“The adventure park is proposed as a grassed area with a “number of additional obstacles for the dogs to run or jump over, under and through, and generally engage with” and will be enclosed by a 1.8M wire mesh fence. New hedgerows will be planted to help mitigate the impact of the fence. The applicant’s agent has stated that the planting will provide partial screening within 2-3 years and fully screen the netting in between 5-10 years.”
Photo credit
Photo by Helena Lopes from Pexels
