Surrey dog walking business hopes to expand to Berkshire

Camberley-based dog walking business Paws 4 Walking is hoping to expand its business into Berkshire.

The company wants to use a paddock at High Barn on Church Lane, Finchampstead in Berkshire, as an exercise area for up to 20 dogs.

The field’s owner has applied to Wokingham Borough Council to change its approved use from agricultural to commercial.

Finchampstead Parish Council and a group of local residents are against the idea. They say the paddock’s fence is too low to contain dogs, that it could cause noise and disturbance, and that it could even pose safety risks.

Others fear that changing the land’s use from agricultural to commercial could pose a threat to local habitats and could open the door to other detrimental developments in the future.

However, some local residents support the plans, as it gives the dogs a safe space to play and also protects the public from harm or harassment.

Wokingham Borough Council’s planning committee is set to debate the proposal at a meeting on 10 May. Council officers are recommending that they approve the plans.

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