Sunderland doggy daycare planning application refused

Plans for a new doggy daycare in Sunderland have been withdrawn after concerns about traffic and noise were raised.

Yappy Days Doggy Daycare lodged the application back in October 2023 for 97-99 Newcastle Road, with plans to also provide a dog walking service.

However, a council report stated that the applicant was served a notice that the application would be recommended for refusal by the council and had “agreed to withdraw the application”.

According to council consultation documents, highways issues with the site were linked to “lack of on-site parking to suit the needs of the development”, while a report added there had been “a number of accidents within close proximity of the site, with a number of them being located at the junction from Crozier Street onto Newcastle Road”.

Meanwhile, a council consultation document added that the applicant’s noise assessment did “not contain any calculation of the potential for dog vocalisations (barks, whines, howls etc) to impact on the nearest noise-sensitive properties”.

It added: “There is also no assessment of the potential impact of dogs barking in the internal and external areas of the dog day care centre on the wider neighbourhood.

“It is also not clear from the assessment what the maximum number of dogs will be on-site at one time.”

The documents also stated that the council recommended that “further information was provided on noise control for the development including physical noise amelioration measures where necessary to ensure noise from the dog daycare area does not escape into the flat above or to the surrounding neighbourhood residents”.

Finally, the documents noted there was “no indication from the information provided within the application as to how the outside area and the adjoining rear entrance is going to be used/ adapted to create a suitable environment to offer dog day services”.