Plans for doggy day care approved after being thrown out last year

The application to build Bruce’s Doggy Day Care at Wet Gate Farm in Lymm was originally submitted in April 2023 but was refused by Warrington Borough Council.

Plans outlined that an existing barn on the farm would be used and transformed into the day care creating seven full-time jobs and building a car park in the process.

Warrington Borough Council refused the application over noise concerns and due to the fact the land on which the business would be developed is green belt.

“The proposal would constitute inappropriate development in the green belt as a result of failing to preserve openness, encroachment into the countryside of the vehicle parking area and associated movements, and the extent of the fencing to be erected at the application site,” the council said in its refusal.

“The nature of the proposed scheme through the presence of a number of dogs on site at any one time has a high potential to cause noise related nuisance to nearby residential properties.

“The impact of noise from the proposal cannot be accurately assessed due to the lack of submitted information and therefore the level of harm cannot be identified.”

However, the application was resubmitted to Warrington Borough Council in April this year in another attempt to develop the barn.

Dogs will be able to socialise at the doggy day care five days a week (Image: Bruce's Doggy Day Care)

Now, instead of the originally proposed capacity of 70 dogs, the new application shows that the centre would now have a capacity of 50 to provide ‘the optimum level’ for the business.

It also notes that the centre would operate ‘like a children’s nursery’, offering a full day car service for dogs on site, with no dogs staying at the farm overnight.

Bruce’s Doggy Day Care, which was established in 2008, would also run a bus service for the pets, collecting them from their homes to take them to the centre, and then returning them later that day.

Instead of the proposed seven jobs, the site will now create five employment opportunities to help run the business.

Opening hours are listed on the application as being from 7.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday, with the majority of dogs being on site between 8.30am and 3pm.

Dogs can be picked up and dropped off by the bus service (Image: Bruce's Doggy Day Care)

Due to concerns over noise management, a noise assessment plan was submitted earlier this month which states that all dogs will be assessed for behaviour before becoming a customer and restrictions on some breeds will be enforced.

Warrington Borough Council reviewed the application and granted permission for the development on June 19, more than a year after it was first submitted.

As part of the plan’s approval, the noise management plan must be implemented from the businesses first day of operation and remain thereafter.

If the business were to cease operation, the land must be returned to its former condition, including the removal of all fencing.