A Dundee woman’s bid to open the city’s first animal crematorium and a training centre for rescue dogs has been rejected by planning officials.
Lesley Connelly lodged proposals for the business – which would also feature a dog day care facility – in a former scrapyard on Milton Street in Coldside.
But the plans were turned down by Dundee City Council due to concerns about noise, emissions, air quality and parking.
Lesley, 58, says the centre would help to tackle the issue of out-of-control pets by equipping families with the knowledge they need to look after their rescue dogs, free of charge.
She said: “People are getting bitten left, right and centre, and dogs are getting attacked.
“We wanted something to help the public in Dundee with their dogs.
“Anyone could walk in the door and say, ‘Can you help me?’ And they’d always get a ‘yes’.
“A lot of people are scared to ask for help in case they’re judged for their dog or the breed they’ve got.
“They would never get judged here.”
Lesley – who has been a dog trainer for 20 years – says she does not agree with Dundee City Council’s concerns about noise.
She said: “We will be appealing the decision.
“We chose 14 Milton Street because it’s quiet, it’s got a great big 20ft wall around it and it wouldn’t disturb anybody.
“There is nothing there – it’s garages.”
‘It wouldn’t affect air quality’
The animal crematorium – which Lesley says would be Dundee’s first – would join other similar facilities in Tayside such as Furget Me Not Cremations in Auchterarder.
Lesley – who established the Bark-out-loud Dog Foundation, which offers training for owners – has dismissed worries about the crematorium’s impact on air quality or potential issues around parking.
She said: “It wouldn’t affect air quality – nothing like that would be affected. We have already proven it.
“And there wouldn’t be a lot of noise either. They asked for a sound test and we did one.
“It’s easy to access so people can just walk in.
“There are no parking problems because people are not going to park their car and leave it all day.
“You don’t have to park in the street, you could drive in and drop your dog off.”
Council says Lesley ‘failed’ to address impact of plans
However, Dundee City Council says Lesley has not demonstrated that the facility would not negatively impact on the area.
The council’s decision notice said: “The information submitted in support of the application has failed to demonstrate that the proposed development would not have an adverse impact on residential and business amenity in terms of noise, emissions to air, air quality and parking.
“There are no material planning considerations of sufficient weight that would justify approval of the application contrary to the provisions of the development plan.”
Conversation