Plans for dog day care facility in Etchingham

In an application submitted to Rother District Council, applicant Michelle Heaton is seeking planning permission to build a dog day care facility at her home in Straight Mile Road.

The proposal involves the erection of a new building in Miss Heaton’s garden, which will provide an office and facilities to care for up to 20 dogs on site.

In a statement submitted as part of the application, the applicant’s planning agent said: “The new building will provide a dog day care facility, allowing mainly commuters to leave their dog in care over the course of the working day to be collected in the evening period on their return journey. 

“The centre will be operated by the applicant within the grounds of her home and it will be a low-key use that will provide an important facility for the area. 

“The applicant has liaised with the licensing department at Rother who confirm there is a need for such a facility with the nearest alternative being in Hastings and other local market research confirmed there is a demand locally. 

“These day centres can be seen to be a valuable asset for the health and wellbeing of dogs especially in areas where many residents commute and rely on dog walkers during the course of the day.”

According to planning documents, the proposed building, to be made out of metal sheeting, would include an office, storage space and a kitchen for preparation of food along with isolation kennels and a wet room to wash dogs.

When in operation, it would be intended for the dogs to play in an enclosed part of the building’s gardens during the day, although there will be inside space for the dogs as well. 

It would also be built in a “well-screened” portion of the property’s existing gardens, the applicant’s planning agent says.

For further information about the proposals see application reference RR/2020/826/P on the Rother District Council website.

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