Former social club to become grooming parlour and daycare service for dogs

Wakefield Council has approved the application to transform the old St John The Baptist Catholic Social Club, in Normanton.

The scheme involves providing hydrotherapy, grooming and daycare services for dogs at the premises on Newland Lane.

The site shares a car park with nearby St John the Baptist church and parish centre.

A planning officer’s report said up to six members of staff would be based at the new premises with up to 16 dogs being cared for at any one time.

The scheme was approved with a condition that an acoustic fence be installed around an exercise area outside the property.

The document said the measure would protect residents living close to the site on Smirthwaite View and St Michaels Green.

It said: “Applications of this nature involving daycare services for dogs raise specific concern when it comes to assessing the impact of a development on neighbouring sites, particularly with regards to the impact of intermittent noise from barking dogs on neighbouring residents.”

A planning application to build 123 houses on land next to the site is currently being considered by the council.

The report adds: “There is therefore a duty to ensure that the development at the social club site does not prejudice the ability for future residential development in the area.

“The applicant also provided a noise management plan which outlines the measures that will be taken to mitigate and monitor levels of noise generated by the development along with procedures to deal with potential complaints.”

Further conditions restrict the use of the outdoor area to between 9am to 5pm.

Use of the area is also restricted to one dog at a time, or up to three dogs from the same household, to prevent “excessive barking.”