Dog walking area scrapped from Stockton-on-Tees park

Plans for a dedicated dog walking area in a park in Stockton-on-Tees have been scrapped, reports suggest.

Romano Park is set to get a £500,000 overhaul, extending its boundaries, and adding food and drinks concession space.

The plans also included a dedicated dog walking area. However, this part of the scheme has been scrapped, with councillors citing regulation issues, concerns over potential liability, and insurance costs to the council should an animal attack take place.

Issues with maintenance were also raised in terms of grass cutting, dog waste bins management, and potential vandalism.

Councillor Kevin Faulks, member for Ingleby Barwick West and group leader of Ingleby Barwick Independent Society, told Teeside Live: “Officers came back to us and said if you start using it as a dog park, the regulations on it all change. Lots of other councils now are either not putting them up or are dismantling them.

“The original idea was to have a park similar to Albert Park’s one. The dogs will still be able to use the park, and there is still a big piece of land for walking your dogs and taking your dogs on there, but it just won’t be a fenced-off area.”

Stockton Council has said the design has yet to be finalised, meaning “some elements of the park improvements will be refined, and the final design is expected to be revealed to the public “in due course”.

The works on the park, which will remain open throughout, are expected to be complete by the summer.