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Members of the planning and highways committee at Sheffield City Council decided to give the green light for an applicant (Forest Dogs) to expand its business on a former equestrian site on Shorts Lane, 400m from the edge of Dore, with the Peak District National Park immediately abutting the site to the west. A planning document uploaded before the meeting stated that dog day care would operate with three members of staff caring for up to 22 dogs, and the hours of operation sought are between 8am and 5pm, from Monday to Friday, and 9am and 5pm on Saturdays, with no working on Sundays or Bank Holidays. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Star, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.
The document said: “Dogs would be collected by the applicant and their staff in groups of 6-8 and brought to the site in the morning, and then returned to their owners by the applicant and their staff at the end of the day.” The applicant said a so-called “tornado dog field fencing” – 1.8m fine steel mesh between 2m tall wooden posts at 4.
5m intervals – would be erected around the perimeter of the field. The application received 100 letters of objection and 98 letters of support. At the Sheffield City Council planning committee meeting yesterday (September 17), five people were speaking against and two in favour of the application.
One objector, of the Dore Village Society, said the application has created a “high level of concern” in the area. Advertisement Advertisement He said the two biggest concerns were the noise (of barking dogs) and the importance of the location (it is close to the Peak District National Park). Others have highlighted issues such as highway safety, dogs scaring horses, and the impact it would have on elderly residents living close to the site.
One objector, a local resident, added if planning permission were to be given, it would make her “a prisoner in my own house”. Andy Irving , the applicant, said they were “simply a family business hoping to grow”. Advertisement Advertisement He told the members “dogs need dogs and dogs need exercise”.
A service user said the company provided her with great support during a difficult period. She said the company “was very professional” and added the owners of Forest Dogs were “very responsible”. After the public statements, councillors were able to share their thoughts and concerns, highlighting issues such as the development’s impact on wildlife, highway safety, noise and more.
Advertisement Advertisement Cllr Mark Whittaker, who said he knew the area, asked the presenting officers if enough regard had been given to the impact on the wildlife in the area. He (and members of the chamber as well as members of the public) was told that the site would get one field away from the deer but it wouldn’t have a “significant” impact on them. Cllr Whittaker added the bigger issue is the fact that 22 “predators” would be put next to them.
In the end, councillors were able to make comments. Cllr Mike Chaplin said he believed the applicant did not want to suffer reputational damage and he was “genuine” and wanted to see the best in terms of the welfare of the animals that he is entrusted to look after. Advertisement Advertisement Cllr Barbara Masters told members that she had concerns about what the high number of dogs in a confined space would mean for the wildlife.
She said she would vote against the proposal. Cllr Richard Williams said he agreed that it was a “tricky one” but he said he was concerned about the development’s impact on the green belt. He also said he would vote against the development.
Cllr Henry Nottage, on the other hand, said the applicant’s record does not indicate that there have been any noise complaints against him and added the development, which he thought wouldn’t have too much of an impact on the green belt. He supported the application. The proposal was carried by a 7-4 majority vote.
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