Plan for Secure Dog Exercise Area Submitted Near Sutton-in-Craven

The proposed site, located near Clough Head Barn off West Lane, covers approximately 1.2 hectares and would feature a private, enclosed area available for booking by dog owners in half-hour or one-hour sessions.

According to the planning documents, such facilities are increasingly favored by owners of young or anxious dogs that require a safe environment away from other animals and people. The area would also serve as a space for individual training sessions without distractions.

If the plan is approved, the field would be accessible for pre-booked sessions seven days a week, operating from 6 am to 8 pm. Access would be regulated via a gated entrance equipped with a digital keypad, with codes given only to registered customers.

Most of the land would remain as grassland, but 1.8-meter high post and wire fencing would be installed to secure the exercise area. The proposal includes two parking spaces for dog owners to unload their pets safely.

An ancillary building is planned near the entrance, which would house storage, a dog wash station, and a toilet, alongside a package sewage treatment facility. The project also aims to maintain existing hedges and plant 24 native trees.

Located approximately 200 meters west of Clough Head Farm, the site acknowledges that most visitors would arrive by car. Applicants estimate around ten to 12 half-hour bookings per day, with staggered sessions intended to minimize vehicle traffic to about four movements per hour during peak times.

The planning statement addresses noise concerns, indicating that the booking system would limit the number of dogs present at any one time. The applicants articulate that this facility significantly differs from conventional kennels, where larger groups of dogs stay for more extended periods. The site's remote placement should also lessen any impact on nearby properties.

Additionally, the applicants contend that the project would establish a new small-scale rural business and allow for an alternative use of agricultural land while maintaining its predominantly open, grassland aesthetic. A biodiversity assessment included in the plans estimates a 10.52% biodiversity net gain, primarily through the proposed tree planting. North Yorkshire Council is set to review the application.