Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Continues from Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Cllr Paul Hayes: Thanks Chair, normally unusually really for me I’m quite conflicted on this one in so far as I’ve heard the evidence and I’ve not made up my mind at present. I think I err completely agree with errm Cllr Realey in terms of you know it’s commendable what the applicant wants to do in terms of setting up a business etc, but what I do worry about is the precedent that this would have to create.

I’m thinking in particular about my own ward where there’s two established dog grooming businesses within a town centre area, what would I to say to those business owners? You needn’t have bothered occupying this area of Wallasey Village which you know needs new businesses coming into it, you could’ve just set up in a garage.

I’m worried about the argument that this sort of business could start cropping up in other parts of the Borough although I think you know the intentions of the applicant are entirely commendable and I do think that some of the objections are somewhat overstated as well but nonetheless I think that the request is … directed by the planning officers.

In addition we’re always told about looking at the enforceability of the conditions that we put on applications and I just harbour concerns about how we would enforce the condition of x number of dogs at any particular time, I’m sure we don’t have the manpower to ensure that if those conditions are breached.

Continues at Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Continues from Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): OK, so are there any questions?

Cllr David Elderton (Conservative spokesperson): Thank you Chair, I think councillors that the petitioner in his very articulate way of articulating many of the concerns I have about this proposal and knowing what problems dogs can cause if they’re not under control or are out and running in a domestic residential environment, I think that’s asking for trouble if we allow this proposal to proceed. Errm, I’m quite happy to put forward my reasons for refusal on this proposal Chair, the proposal proposed is considered inappropriate in a residential area but I’d be interested to hear first what others have to say on this matter.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): Denise?

Cllr Denise Realey: Thank you Chair and I don’t actually have a problem with it. All I can see is a younger woman just trying to make a little bit of a business for her, you know, to make a little bit of extra cash and I can’t really see the problem. It’s not going to be a nuisance, it’s going to be noise proofed and everything else and I just can’t see what you’re talking about. We’re talking five dogs per a day and we’re not talking about anything that would lead to a disturbance of the area. You know I live right opposite a dog grooming business and I never hear anything, not one peep out of them. I just don’t have a problem with this and I hope you know ….

Continues at http://johnbrace.com/2013/07/05/planning-committee-wirral-council-27th-june-2013-app1300574-5-speedwell-drive-barnston-ch60-2sy-change-of-use-of-garage-to-dog-grooming-parlour-6/.

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Continues from Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Sarah Dawson (applicant): Yes, I’m Sarah Dawson.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): So, if you’d just like to come errm to the microphone to speak.

Sarah Dawson (applicant): My name is Sarah Dawson and you’ve got a petition before us, so business and the intention is to start up a dog grooming business in my garage and we gave our consideration to the plans submitted with the application as follows.

The aesthetics of our location, our house is on semi-detached land on the edge of a housing estate situated, situated off the main thorough fare into Heswall. Our homestead is approximately £80,000 to £90,000 and the intention is to make minor alterations to the garage in order to accommodate this start-up business/hobby.

As it says, we’re not of a scale to change to the character of the area so we’ll retain the garage door which will not be in use. Equally living in the area that will be subject to …the plans.. to the changes to the area. The alterations to the rear of the garage will largely be minimal and very slight such as electricity, water and drainage that are already taking place. The good … is that the soundproofing and insulation which will take place will minimise our neighbours being disturbed, the noise would be being a hair dryer, clippers and an occasional bark so that would be generally very quiet.

Pre-consultation with an officer from environmental health, we’ve agreed to these conditions, which are reasonable, both for my … and the local residents. These being operating hours of 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm Saturday and at no time on Sundays or Bank Holiday Mondays. There’ll be no more than five dogs per a day and no more than two dogs at any one time.

There’ll be soundproofing to the structure to the Northwest elevation. No other area, other area of our house and the larger area will be including in the production of the business. These conditions ensure the business will be carried out… of the opening hours… and both myself and my partner are serving police officers and we have careers, so the business will be run strictly on a part-time basis and not be operated outside the opening hours.

The business will be run on a strictly appointment only basis for up to five clients, who will either park in the driveway where there’s ample parking for three vehicles, or bring their dog by foot, which in my experience is the clear option of customers. The increase in volume of traffic will be minimal and obviously we’re at the entrance to a busy estate. In addition there will be one family pet delivery van every two to three months providing items such as shampoo.

Errm obviously addressing the point about aggressive dogs and errm dogs that would be out of control, as I said earlier on I’m a police officer, I’m fully aware of the issue that we’d be encountering in this and as such I’m proposing errm we raise a contract with my intended customers, that there’s an agreement that they bring their dogs to mine controlled under control on a lead and if there’s any idea that a dog would be unsuitable for the location then they don’t bring their dog or it has a muzzle on its head.

Errm, I hope this application is considered favourably and has given me the opportunity to prove that this hobby business will have a minimal impact on my direct neighbours and no direct impact on surrounding properties. Thank you.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): Thank you very much. Does the ward councillor wish to speak?

Continues at Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Continued from Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Ronald Watt (petitioner): It states that users from Barnston Road only have apprehensions, at the head of Speedwell Drive and now along Roman Road which is much of the streets of the estates.

If we refer to photographs A and B both, this is where the petitioner of 3 Speedwell Drive and the applicant of 5 Speedwell Drive have been putting up a single storey two garage facility. In respect of the main building, a single storey building is attached to Speedwell Drive forming an extension to the existing in fact in 2005. The adjoining driveways can each take three vehicles when taken together but there’s no turning circles. Both driveways have no provision for police and ambulance vehicles.

Further objections are on the late list. In the Director’s report which is with me, in terms of UDP HS15, the Director of Regeneration and Planning Support is really of the opinion that the business will not be of such a scale and to result in a detrimental change to the character of the area and will not cause nuisance to the neighbouring uses existing particularly in respect of on-street parking and further highways movements by vehicles.

The petitioners are of a different opinion for the following reasons. One the business does not conform to the intent or spirit of HS15, it involves a change of use from a rear domestic garage facility to an industrial public usage. In fact, in terms of the estate, with regards to the facility itself,… the facility will therefore further attract in the opinion of the petitioners the concerns relating to health and safety, building regulations, landscaping and also disabled access. Particular concerns are fire safety, sound proofing against noise.

Point three, public nuisance will result from the disabled access and fire safety. If you refer again to the photographs there you’ll see a Lime Tree Grove Road through a narrow corridor behind. We are of the opinion that this does not allow adequate access to avoid public nuisance, including the disabled, and are also of the opinion that the … dogs including the people. Also there’s the question of fire safety for business and public use.

Next one, the residents are concerned about dog fouling. Both adjoining driveways are unfettered and open plan, the concerns are that dogs may be able to… ..dog fouling and the possibility of an offensive dog. The applicant already has two large pedigree dogs and a small litter of puppies. Both photographs A and B show the open plan. We’re also aware of the current rise in incidences of dog biting on Merseyside.

Three, traffic issues in this location, parking and volume, the Director’s report on the section on highways and traffic consultation maintains that there is a risk, that there will be a slight increase in demand for on street parking but does not consider this to be significant enough to justify waiting restrictions.

The petitioners are of a different opinion, I refer you to photographs A, C and D. The applicant describes the driveway which is unfit for parking in our opinion. There is no turning circle leading to on street parking and using the loop road at Speedwell Close as an exit. Speedwell Close residents are concerned that the resulting and increasing traffic will lead to a reduction in children playing in the road.

Children often use the street of Speedwell Close as it’s a bottleneck and walk through the estate to Barnston Primary School along Carol Drive road into Brimstage Road. The proposals for a walking bus route may be soon part of the .. The resulting concern of the citizens that the location…public services, traffic passing through the.. For example fire engines and … .

Photographs C and D… a child minding service at 2 Speedwell Drive directly opposite the proposed unit although the … . There is also concerns about speeding traffic at the bottom of the bottleneck… at a right angle to the remaining parts of estate. Three, the applicant’s planning application….

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): OK, you got ten seconds.

Ronald Watt (petitioner): One rather disturbing … in the local area for residents… objections, which then generated two late list objections and another….

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): No, sorry, no you’ve had five minutes, I think we got the gist of what you’re saying Mr. Watt.

Ronald Watt (petitioner): Thanks.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): Thank you very much. Does the applicant wish to speak?

Continues at Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour

Continued from Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) APP/13/00574 5 Speedwell Drive, Barnston, CH60 2SY Change of use of garage to dog grooming parlour.

Matthew Davies: Errm the first condition, restricts this approval to the approved plans whilst restricting the number of dogs present at any one time and the number there will be exactly the same err also exactly the same. Because it’s a minor proposal and a change and an errm minor change proposed to condition seven, errm at the moment it simply restricts errm the use of the rear garage door in relation to the business.

Errm we wanted then that to be expressed by the impact as that’s the same, that’s the door that leads to the garage door purely during business hours that the door, errm the rear garage door errm will be restructured and will remain closed.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): Do we have a petitioner that would like to come forward for this petition? OK, will you just come forward and please sit there. Errm, can you see the silver button? Well to use the microphone just press that and give us your name and address please. You can have five minutes.

Ronald Watt (petitioner): OK.

Cllr Denise Roberts: If you could move the microphone to your mouth.

Ronald Watt (petitioner): OK, can you hear now?

Various councillors together: Yes.

Ronald Watt (petitioner) Good evening Chair and Planning Committee, my name is Ronald Watt and I’ve been asked by the petitioners to speak on their behalf. Madam Chair, that’s why I’ve come to see you this evening, thank you very much for letting me speak on this petition. Can I just assist you and ask if it’s possible for the Chair to give out some small photographs because they’re intended to support the clarity of our objections?

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): You can pass them round ok.

Ronald Watt (petitioner): Thank you. Before I go onto my statement, my petition is of thirty-eight dwellings of Speedwell Drive, Speedwell Close and Carol Drive.

Continues at http://johnbrace.com/2013/07/03/planning-committee-wirral-council-27th-june-2013-app1300574-5-speedwell-drive-barnston-ch60-2sy-change-of-use-of-garage-to-dog-grooming-parlour-3/.