‘Expansion’ of dog day care centre approved despite neighbours’ objections

AN extension of a dog day care centre in Cane End has been granted planning permission despite objections by neighbours.

Simon Herbert, who owns Oscar’s Daycare Centre, can now convert a vacant barn into a sheltered dog play area.

South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, granted consent despite three neighbours claiming this would enable the business to expand.

The centre is part of K9 Woodland Services, a 4.5-hectare woodland site off the A4074, which offers hire of land for dog walking and has a “dog adventure park” and a grooming service. It is currently licensed to care for up to 20 dogs.

Under the plans, the timber barn near the centre of the site would be infilled at the front and right-hand side, which are currently open, with timber to enclose the space. A timber window would be added at the front of the building.

Mr Herbert said the use of the barn would be in line with existing planning restrictions associated with the centre and would not impact on its surroundings.

Catherine Turner, of Walnut Tree Cottage, said the application lacked details of how it would avoid an increase in noise disturbance and light pollution or an assessment of the effect on the site’s biodiversity.

She said: “We live in the immediate vicinity and have already been impacted by overdevelopment of this once beautiful and peaceful area of beauty and conservation. The application omits adequate detail around how the proposed development would not increase noise and disturbance in the neighbourhood.

“For example, how the movement of 20 dogs between the existing building and the proposed space would not lead to increased noise. The proposed window belongs to the adjacent space on the plan submitted and the reason for its addition is unclear. The adjacent space is a room that was developed for commercial reasons but was closed because it did not have the necessary permission. It has a plumbed-in toilet, a fireplace and power and water utilities. It is not ‘a store’.

“This signals the establishment of ‘additional’ infrastructure to further expand the business at a later date.”

Mrs Turner said that further development of the site would breach the existing planning conditions and would impact the Chilterns National Landscape.

Camilla Skinner, of Kempwood Cottage, called the application “misleading”, saying the barn would be used as a means of increasing the number of dogs that can be cared for.

She said: “Even more traffic would be entering and exiting the notoriously busy and dangerous A4074. The application states an additional sheltered play area but these dogs will also need use of outside space (surrounding the barn).

“That in itself will increase noise levels and raise safety concerns as the fence height parallel to the footpath is insufficient.

“Barking dogs, human and vehicular movement as dogs are delivered and/or collected or moved from one site to another, alongside additional lighting externally would create not only a further eyesore but impact on the wildlife in this area.”

Mrs Skinner said the site was already overdeveloped and further expansion would negatively impact neighbours.

Last year, Mr Herbert was granted retrospective permission to change the use of the site to be used for dog walking.

Eleven neighbours objected to the development, citing noise disturbance from dogs barking and contamination of the land from dog excrement.

Kidmore End Parish Council, which objected to the previous application, made no comment on the latest plans.