Safe dog-walking site to open in Walsall if plans are backed
Canines will be able to run free without “fear of escape” if a new dog-walking facility is opened on farm land in Walsall.
Members of Walsall Council’s planning committee is being recommended to grant permission to create the new enclosure, across two fields, on Moat Farm on Sutton Road.
The developer, listed as Mrs C Round, said the venture would provide a secure environment for dog walkers, who would use it via a booking system.
The planned opening hours are 8am to 8pm from April to September and 8am to 5pm between October and March.
Planning officers are asking members of the committee to grant approval subject to conditions at a meeting on Thursday.
Agents Rob Duncan Planning Consultancy said: “The dog walking fields are to be enclosed by 1.8m high deer fencing in order to provide a safe and secure environment in which customers can exercise their dogs and let them run free without fear of escape.
“Bookings will be required to use the facility, with each booking slot lasting 50 minutes.
“A 10-minute gap is to be left between bookings in order to ensure that customers are not arriving at the same time that other customers are leaving.
“Bookings for the two fields will also operate on the half hour and hour respectively, so that users of the second field are not arriving at the same time as users of the first field.
“No more than two cars per booking will be permitted, with a maximum of two people and no more than four dogs allowed at any one time.
“Waste bins will be provided at the entrance to the field, which will be disposed of periodically by the applicant as demand requires.
“The proposed change of use of this parcel of land to dog walking fields constitutes an appropriate form of development within the Green Belt and will not give rise to any adverse impacts to the character and appearance of the area or to the nearby Schedule Ancient Monument.
“The proposal is also acceptable in terms of its impact on highway safety and neighbouring residential amenity.
“The proposal will furthermore derive benefits to the local economy and will facilitate increased use of the Green Belt for recreational purposes.”
