Dog day care facility near Ditchling approved

Proposals to open a dog day care facility near Ditchling have been given the go ahead by Lewes planners.
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On Wednesday (November 25), Lewes District Council planners approved proposals to open a dog day care business for up to 130 dogs at Middleton Common Farm, near Ditchling Common. 

Once open, the facility is expected to trade as a branch of Bruce’s Doggy Day Care – a Surrey-based business, with three other such facilities.

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While approved, the application has seen significant opposition from some residents, mainly due to concerns around noise. 

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In a statement read at the meeting, Richard Sands, a spokesman for several objectors, said: “We fear a situation where we cannot work from home and the activities that bring us joy are blighted by the noise, impacting our wellbeing and mental health, as well as shattering the wider rural tranquillity you have a duty to protect.

“In summary, this unsustainable development would not guarantee environmental, social and economic benefit as required by the National Planning Policy Framework.

“The proposals submitted also haven’t demonstrated that it will not affect our legitimate rights to enjoy our land and property. We therefore request that you reject the application.”

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Arguments around noise were strongly disputed by the applicant in their submissions to the committee, however. 

Bruce Casalis, CEO and founder of Bruce’s Doggy Daycare, said: “I understand people’s incorrect first impression might be of a noisy kennel, but this is nothing like what we do. We are not about rows of caged dogs barking day and night. 

“The best way to think of us is like a children’s nursery but for dogs. We are about constant care, engagement and enrichment activities. We only take regular dogs and operate a very high staff to dog ratio.

“All of this means very little noise, because a happy dog is a quiet dog. If a dog is barking something is wrong [and] we need to address that for the wellbeing of the dog.”

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Concerns around noise had also been considered by the council’s environmental health team, which visited the business’ other facilities and found noise was well-managed ‘due to levels of staff supervision, engagement, small groups of dogs and a spacious external environment’. 

However, officers also said there could not be a fair comparison, as the existing sites have background traffic noise from the M25. 

Objectors had also raised concerns around the impact of a business on local traffic, particularly as the business would involve a daily drop-off and pick-up.

To mitigate this daily traffic, the business would run a “doggy bus” which would see staff pick up and drop off dogs from their owners’ address. It would arrive on site at around 8.30am,.

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The business would also have its own access track, which would be constructed as part of the development. A reception building and car park would also be built on site.

While the committee considered residents’ concerns, the majority of committee members felt the site could operate without undue disturbance, as long as noise was kept under review by environmental health. 

Cllr Tom Jones, whose Ditchling and Westmeston ward includes the site, proposed the scheme be approved. He said: “Overall I’m pleased with the comments of people coming in [and] I take note of the comments made by people who have objected.

“I think the bulk of those queries against this application have been suitably answered and written about within the report.

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“I for one have no difficulty in supporting the officer’s recommendation [to approve the application] and would like to put that forward as the proposal.”

The committee also considered only granting temporary planning permission for a three-year period, to test whether the development could effectively control its noise. 

However, officers advised that this would not meet the test for a reasonable restriction, so the matter was not pursued further. 

Following further discussion, the application was approved with eight votes in favour and two votes against. This included an informative condition asking the business to grow larger hedges to better screen the site.

For further information see application reference LW/20/0140 on the Lewes District Council planning website.