Swindon dog grooming parlour seeks planning permission

A dog grooming salon in Rodbourne, Swindon, is seeking retrospective planning permission.

The business, Woody’s Holistic Grooming and Co-operative Care Salon, has been operating for four years, with owner Daniella Malcolm-Stewart seeking full planning permission to use her garage and store as a specialist dog grooming salon.

Amongst the plans is the use of frosted glass in the window to allow natural light to come into the salon and help prevent nervous dogs from having to see constant stressors outside.

In her planning statement, Malcolm-Stewart noted that the application is being made “against the background that there is a serious need for a groomer of her knowledge and experience”.

“Many of the applicant’s existing clients have expressed a fear of what they would do if the service was to cease operating,” the statement added.

According to the documents, Malcolm-Stewart specialises in grooming dogs who find handling by humans difficult and/or have issues being around other dogs.

“She works collaboratively with a team of behaviorists, veterinary physiotherapists and chiropractors to provide a whole picture as to why a dog may be struggling in the grooming environment, and then put a plan in place to help correct this,” the statement read.

“The reason the Applicant is referred to so often by behaviorists is because she is the only one in this area,” it stressed.

The salon only allows for four dogs to be groomed in one day.