Decision made on kennels alteration in Over Wyre village of Stalmine
"The proposal therefore represents a more efficient use of the existing approved accommodation.”
Wyre planners have given the green light to amendments to previously approved dog kennel premises in Stalmine which were formerly used as a gym.
The original application lodged with Wyre planners was for a change of use of existing ancillary residential accommodation (storage use and a gym) to ancillary residential accommodation and commercial dog kennels to house up to 8 dogs, at the Willows on Highgate in Stalmine. It was approved back in November 2023.
The latest proposal involved an internal reconfiguration of the approved kennel accommodation which is to provide extra space for additional amenities.
A Planning Statement said the proposed layout will now provide 13 boarding kennels, one dedicated isolation kennel and a maximum capacity of eighteen boarded dogs.
No external alterations are proposed.
The Statement said: "The proposal therefore represents a more efficient use of the existing approved accommodation.
"Since planning permission was granted, the boarding kennels have become an established and successful rural business.
"Demand for boarding regularly exceeds the existing planning restriction.
"Experience gained from operating the business has demonstrated that greater flexibility is required in the internal layout in order to accommodate varying customer requirements whilst maintaining high welfare standards.
"Many customers board more than one dog from the same household. Rather than separating compatible dogs into individual kennels, it is preferable, from both an operational and animal welfare perspective, for dogs from the same household to remain together.
"The revised layout has therefore been designed to accommodate household groups more effectively whilst maintaining generous space standards within each kennel.
"The proposal represents a modest expansion of an established business without requiring any physical expansion of the approved development."
The statement added that the proposed layout has been designed in accordance with the requirements of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 and the accompanying Defra statutory guidance.
This statutory guidance requires every kennel to provide sufficient space for each dog to: stand upright comfortably; turn around freely; walk normally; lie fully stretched out; rest without contact with other dogs unless they originate from the same household.
The guidance does not apply a simple floor area allowance per dog. Instead, the suitability of each kennel is assessed having regard to the size of each dog.