Dog ‘adventure park’ given go ahead by council near Saltburn

The park on land opposite the entrance to Ladgate Farm, south of Saltburn Road, near Saltburn, will be fenced off and gated and be able to operate between the hours of 8am and 8pm daily.

A separate proposal by a different applicant for an adventure park for dogs off Grewgrass Lane, New Marske, was rejected by Redcar and Cleveland Council earlier this year after officers determined a safe means of access could not be provided.

Segregated, designated enclosures for dog recreation, activities and training have proved popular in some countries abroad. Council restrictions at many formal parks and gardens in Redcar and Cleveland mean dogs can only be walked on leads with the threat of a £100 on the spot fine for those who flout the rules.

This appears to have opened up an avenue for would-be entrepreneurs and pet lovers to exploit a potential gap in the market, with the aim of creating safe, secure spaces in the area so dogs can run freely.

In planning documents published online, the applicant in this latest proposal, Andrea Bielby, from Brotton, said a secure car park would be created for customers and a turning area was also available.

She wrote: “There will be no vehicles parked outside the development. Clients must book prior to access and have a 50 minute session. There is a ten minute change over time so no cars need to wait outside. In the event of a client arriving earlier there is room within the turning area for them to wait.”

Addressing potential concern over noise, she added: “There will obviously be some barking from dogs, but this should be limited and little more than is already heard in the adjacent woods. The site is designed to be a calm, non-threatening place, where dogs can use all their senses, with calming plants, digging areas, climbing and tunnelling.

“Other sites I’ve visited have not been noisy. The number of dogs will be limited, with clients bringing up to three dogs and paying an extra fee for additional dogs with a maximum of eight on site at one any time.”

A bin for dog waste within the enclosure would be provided and collected by a licensed waste contractor. The applicant said she had retired early to care for a frail parent and any income from the venture would supplement her pension. A total of 1.4 acres of an eight acre field currently used for grazing would be converted, with the agricultural use for the rest of the field remaining unchanged.

She said: “It is easily accessible and it will be a valuable addition for many dog owners. It is unique to the area in that it provides for the safe exercise and training of dogs that would otherwise be permanently on a lead, or causing a nuisance or danger to people or animals.

“The use of a secure dog park with exciting activities gives these dogs stimulus to exercise their brains as well as improve their physical health. It allows them to get into the countryside safely.”

A council officer’s report said it was considered an appropriate diversification scheme and described the conversion of 1.4 acres of agricultural land as “small-scale”.

It said there would not be significant visual intrusion, nor any detrimental impacts on the landscape. The report said visibility ‘splays’ should be provided and maintained for those using the site in the interests of highway safety.