The prospect of noise from 40 barking dogs has seen off plans to use land in Washington for a dog day care facility.
Barking Success wanted to move its business to Jenners Field, Rock Road, after it closed its former site in Storrington Road a year ago.
Hundreds of people commented on its application to Horsham District Council both in favour and objecting to the plans to use it as kennels.
The site was previously used by another kennels in 2020 without planning permission, which was investigated by Horsham District Council. A planning application from Lisa Setterington made in March 2021 was withdrawn in October last year.
Yesterday, the council’s planning committee refused Barking Success’s application.
The committee heard from Barking Success customer Hugh Gilbert, who praised the business as having an excellent reputation and being a respected local business.
He referred to its five-star animal licence and said it offered a career development path for people who want to work in animal welfare.
But committee members supported the recommendation from planning officers, voting 16 to one with two abstentions to refuse the application.
Officers acknowledged that the facility could mean jobs for four people, but they felt the noise from up to 40 dogs at one time “could not be controlled” and would cause problems for neighbours.
They were also not happy about “adverse levels of activity” in a countryside location and said that water neutrality had not been “satisfactorily demonstrated”.
To view the application, log on to public-access.horsham.gov.uk and search for DC/23/2282.
