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?
