Shifnal dog day care business denied county expansion

A proposal to change the use of agricultural buildings and land to a dog day care centre near Shrewsbury has been refused.

Sansaw Dairies Limited wanted the scheme to happen at Wood Farm in Hadnall, with K9 Anytime looking after up to 80 dogs from 7am to 7pm.

“K9’s current Shifnal premises has a small team of 10 incredibly hardworking staff across daycare and grooming who ensure the greatest welfare care and
companionship for the visiting dogs,” said Alex Bruce, planning consultant at Berrys.

“Daily operations involve exemplary customer service during morning drop off and evening pick up, filled with days of sensory stimulation, social interaction and physical activity in between.

“As a small family run business, K9’s team has grown slowly over 8 years; each member hand-picked for their skill, knowledge, experience, passion and integrity. Their ‘homegrown’ tight knit team know and cater to their customers personally, maintaining experienced and intuitive care with undiluted and nuanced customer service to suit them and their family.”

Pre-application advice from Shropshire Council said that further information was required to ensure that it was a small-scale development.

Mr Bruce said the proposal will utilise existing buildings and recommission traditional barns which without this re-purposing will likely fall into disrepair and become a liability to the applicant.

“The proposal will be sympathetic to its rural setting and retain the agricultural character of the farmstead,” he said.

“The business requires this rural location, owing to its bespoke treatment to dogs, the potential for noise break out and a lack of available sites in the local area.

“The development would not give rise to unacceptably adverse impacts on the environment, local amenities or other interests of acknowledged importance.”

Hadnall Parish Council had a ‘neutral’ view regarding the proposal, saying it has concerns about traffic volume at the junction in Hadnall during key periods of the day and would like the highways to address them.

Robert Armshaw, meanwhile, submitted an objection, saying he was concerned about the noise 80 dogs will make, as well as the environmental impact that an increase in vehicles will have.

“I also have concerns about the foul waste water that could run down to the stream at the bottom of the field/our garden that is connected to the culvert in Hadnall village now that a new 20cm pipe has been installed, said Mr Armshaw.

In considering the application, planning officer Mared Rees-Jones questioned whether it was a small family-run business.

“They run the business at Shifnal for 20 dogs and have permission to accommodate up to 60 dogs outside the borough,” she said.

“This application seeks permission for the accommodation of up to 80 dogs, requiring a maximum of 10 staff members alone. On this basis, the proposal would not be considered to represent a small business.”

Ms Rees-Jones added that limited information has been submitted in regards the overall nature and use of the building and why 238 square-metres of floor space is required to accommodate up to 80 dogs.

“It is also ambiguous as to how the business would operate in regards to the number of dogs inside the building and the number proposed outside at any one time,” she said.

The proposal was therefore refused.

Story by Paul Rogers – Local Democracy Reporting Service
Pic: Site from the submitted plans