Plans for new dog walking facility in East Morton refused

Bingley View Dog Park is a dog walking facility based in East Morton.

Earlier this year a planning application to expand the animal exercise facility into a neighbouring field was refused by Bradford Council.

One reason for the refusal that access to the expanded site would be via East Morton Recreation Grounds – officers argued that the change of use would bring “excitable dogs” to a site popular with young children.

Officers also raised highways concerns about the plans.

This Summer a slightly amended plan for the site was submitted by K Drummond.

But now that second application has been refused – with planning officers raising similar plans.

The latest application said: “The proposed field is not intended to operate as a destination-based attraction attracting significant vehicle movements, organised events or large numbers of users. Instead, the facility has been designed to operate as a low-intensity recreational facility associated with East Morton Recreation Ground and the surrounding public footpath network.”

It said access to the field would be controlled through a QR code displayed at the site entrance. Users must be physically present at the Recreation Ground before obtaining access to the facility, and only one booking is permitted at any given time.

Eleven people had objected to the plans.

Refusing the application this week, planning officers said: “A significant number of representations raise concerns regarding the relationship between the proposed development and East Morton Recreation Ground due to the position of the proposed sole means of access to the site.

“The Recreation Ground serves a variety of community functions including informal recreation, children's play and organised sporting activities including a football field.

“Whilst dog walkers already make use of the recreation ground and surrounding public footpath network, the proposed development would introduce an attraction whose users would be required to pass through the recreation ground in order to access the facility.

“This type of dog facility is typically used by dogs that are generally not exercised off lead in open areas and for energetic off lead play activity. As such, the dogs using these facilities are typically in an excitable state when being exercised in them.

“The intensification of dog-related activity and the placement of the access to the site close to the children's play equipment has the potential to increase conflict with other users of the recreation ground.

“It is also noted that the proposed revision to the access arrangements, requiring bookings to be made only on arrival, will likely lead to users intending to use the space finding it is booked and opting to use the open recreation ground as an alternative.

“This will further expose users of the recreation ground to the dogs in an excitable state.”