Dog parks set to rise after leading property consultancy wins planning appeal
The popularity of dog parks being set up in unused fields is only set to increase after a leading property consultancy won a planning appeal to create one in Cheshire.
Property consultants Fisher German helped Steph Cheadle, director of the Dog Paddocks in Lower Whitley, gain retrospective planning permission on appeal after Cheshire West and Chester Council initially refused the application.
Nia Borsey, Associate at Fisher German, led the appeal and believes the precedent set will result in an even bigger increase in an already popular diversification strategy for landowners. She said: “We've seen demand for dog parks increase significantly since the pandemic when many people decided to welcome a dog into their home but were not able to socialise them properly.
Dog parks provide a private space for training or walking dogs without the distractions of a public park, and many dog owners are willing to pay for the privilege of using them.
“To take advantage of that demand, we've helped farmers and landowners with advice on how to set up these businesses and gain the necessary planning consent to make them a reality. For the most part, change of use applications in the green belt tended to be granted as the impact of a dog park, assuming access was manageable, was minimal.
“However, when Cheshire West and Chester Council opted to refuse the retrospective application in Lower Whitley, we felt an appeal was likely to be granted as the impact to the green belt was low. It was fantastic news for Steph that the appeal was indeed granted, but it is even better news for landowners looking for a less intensive diversification strategy.
“The precedent set by the appeal win makes it far more likely that local authorities will grant similar applications elsewhere, as they know they are unlikely to win at appeal if they refuse.”