Knowle Green dog day care needs full planning permission

The proposal would see an agricultural building at Squire House, Clitheroe Road, Knowle Green, converted into a commercial dog day care facility.

Applicant Mr Darrin Robinson had sought to use the permitted development process, which can allow some agricultural buildings to change to commercial uses without the need for full planning permission.

However, the council has decided the scheme cannot be considered through that route and will instead require a planning application.

A new dog day care centre could be coming to the Ribble Valley (Image: Unsplash)

In a decision notice issued on September 4, planners said permission granted for the barn under an earlier application included a condition restricting the building's use to agricultural purposes.

The council said that meant the proposal could not be assessed under Class R of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015, which covers some changes from agricultural buildings to commercial uses.

It adds that the proposal "does not fall within the scope of Class E" and therefore "an application for planning permission is required".

Planning documents submitted with the application said the business would provide supervised daytime care, exercise and feeding for dogs, with owners dropping off pets in the morning and collecting them later the same day.

The applicant said the project would help diversify the farm business and could initially create one job, potentially rising to 10 jobs as the business grows.

No dogs would be kept overnight and there would be no boarding, breeding or sale of animals from the site, according to the application.

The council's decision does not determine whether the proposed dog day care business is acceptable in planning terms, but means the scheme would need to be considered through the full planning application process if the applicant wishes to pursue it.