Dog daycare business challenges ban over barking

The owner of a dog grooming business has challenged a council enforcement notice banning the exercising of animals at a former farm in Wakefield.

Christopher Beech was granted planning permission to convert part of the farm at Wragby Grange into a dog daycare business and grooming parlour in 2023.

Wakefield Council has since issued the firm with orders to stop using the 2.5-hectare area of land for dog training over concerns residents would be disturbed by barking.

The council enforcement notice, which took effect on 26 January, claims planning conditions have been breached by using the land to exercise dogs, which Mr Beech denies.

The authority has also ordered two shelters on the land near Doncaster Road to be removed, claiming they were "harmful to the greenbelt."

The notice states: "The material change of use of land from agriculture to exercising and/or training dogs has the potential to harm residential amenity due to barking dogs."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), a document outlining the grounds for appeal has been submitted to the council on behalf Mr Beech.

It said: "This use operates in line with the planning permission and licence issued by the council's environmental health department.

"The use of the land alleged by the council is not an inappropriate form of development in the greenbelt.

"The use of the land as alleged by the council does not cause unacceptable harm to the living conditions of neighbouring occupants."

It adds that further details will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate during the appeal process.

The Inspectorate has confirmed that Mr Beech has a valid appeal and the case is expected to be considered later this year.

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