Expansion plans for kennels and cattery approved by city council’s planning committee

Peterborough City Council’s Planning and Environmental Protection Committee held their online meeting on Tuesday (October 20).

The committee dealt with two planning applications: 

Acorn Lodge Kennels and Cattery, Thorney Road, Eye.

Proposal: Permission is sought for the replacement of staff facilities, vet room and one bed staff accommodation.

Site and Surroundings: The application site comprises an established Kennels and Cattery business situated 300 metres outside the settlement boundary of Eye village, adjacent to the A47 and Thorney Road. The site is bounded by arable farmland on all sides. The site comprises an extended bungalow, where it is understood that the owners and operators reside, a car park and a number of outbuildings, with a large lawned garden area to the east of the bungalow. It is important to note that the site is host to single storey buildings, the tallest of which is the bungalow standing at 6m in height.

Proposal: The Applicant seeks planning permission for the erection of two-storey building comprising replacement staff facilities and vet room at ground floor, and a one-bed, self-contained flat to be used as staff accommodation at first floor. The proposed building would be two-storey, with a floor area of 14.6m x 4.3m and proposes to stand at 5.3m to eaves and 6.6m to ridge utilising brick and tile. The supporting information states that the self-contained flat would only be used by a member of staff when the Applicant, who currently resides on site, is away. It is stated that a vet is not required to stay on site overnight.
The case officer recommended that Planning Permission was refused for the following two reasons:
The application site is situated within the open countryside; it has not been demonstrated that there is a substantiated need for an additional worker to reside on site, there has been no financial information provided to demonstrate that the business could fund the proposed works, employ an additional full-time member of staff and that the business has been planned on a financially sound basis, and the Applicant has not justified why it would not be possible to adapt or extend the existing dwelling on site, or why it would not be possible to accommodate the additional worker within the nearby villages of Eye or Eye Green.

The application site is situated within the open countryside, outside of the settlement boundary of Eye. The immediate area is identified as ‘intrinsically flat fenland landscape’, which is characterised by large arable fields, groupings of trees and isolated dwellings and farmsteads. The application site is characterised by single storey development, and the proposed two storey building, which would be taller than the existing buildings on site, would be visually prominent from the public realm, particularly from the A47 to the north and Thorney Road to the south. Further, by reason of size, scale, layout and appearance, the proposed two-storey building and associated domestic openings would harm the character and appearance of the immediate area and wider landscape character area.

Decision: Cllr Brian Rush proposed going against the officer’s decision and grant the application on the basis that the building not be permanently occupied and tied to the business and not to any residential accommodation.
The application was GRANTED against officer recommendation (unanimous).

The other issue considered by the committee was a request to pollard a tree covered by a protection order.
7 Enfield Gardens, Netherton Peterborough
Proposal: Willow - Re-pollard back to the previous pollarding points to avoid limb failure also to provide clearance to a street light and over the public highway.
Site and Surroundings: An application has been received to carry out works to a Weeping Willow tree protected by Tree Preservation Order 7 of 1995. The mature Weeping Willow is growing in the eastern corner of the rear garden of the applicant’s property. The tree has been pollarded historically and is approximately 20m high and has a crown spread in excess of 7m. The lower crown is less than 2m from ground level in places and is overhanging the boundary fence and the public right of way that links Wilton Close through to Meynell Walk and the road. There is a PCC street light that is also partially obscured.
Proposal: The proposal is to re- pollard the tree back to the previous pollarding points These works are to prevent crown failure and to provide clearances to the street light and highway. These cyclical works were previously approved in 2012.
The Executive Director of Place and Economy recommended that this Notice of Works to Tree(s) protected by a Tree Preservation Order was granted subject to the following conditions:
The tree work, to which this permission relates, must be completed no later than the expiration of two years beginning with the date of this decision notice. Reason: The Local Planning Authority would wish to review the decision and the proposal after two years from the date of this consent so that it may take into account the growth pattern and condition of the tree(s) at that time.
All works shall be carried out to conform to British Standard 3998:2010, Recommendations for Tree Works. Reason: In the interests of good arboricultural practice and the visual amenity of the Weeping Willow, in accordance with the Peterborough Tree and Woodland Strategy 2018-2028.
Decision: Cllr Peter Hiller pointed out that this was an exercise that under any other conditions would’ve been carried out as a normal pollarding, but because the property is owned by a Peterborough City Councillor it has come through the planning application process.
Permission was GRANTED (unanimous).