Farm business plans second dog field as diversification continues

A farm business near Bath is continuing its post-Brexit diversification with plans for a second dog exercise paddock.

Manor Farm at Burnett is part of a wider family farm business which includes Glenavon Farm in Saltford and Uplands Farm on Wellsway in Keynsham, and totals around 800 acres.

Diversification has become “increasingly important”, with the business losing around £85,000 per year of farm support payments due to Brexit.

In 2022, the poultry business at Manor Farm in Old Burnett Lane was closed and the sheds have been developed into storage business Yolk.

Glenavon Farm meanwhile is home to the successful Flourish Foodhall & Kitchen and a popular dog exercise field called Woofpark.

The latest application is asking Bath & North East Somerset Council for permission to turn a 1.74-hectare former horse paddock at Manor Farm into another Woofpark, which owners can hire and let their dogs run around in a safe, controlled and secure environment.

It says: “We have had many requests for another such facility with a larger area for dogs to explore. The closest similar dog walking facility to Saltford and Burnett is currently around eight miles away.”

The Woofpark at Manor Farm would be enclosed by a 6ft high agricultural post and wire stock fencing with a twin mesh pedestrian gate.  A 12ft x 8ft mobile timber shelter would be put up within the field for dog walkers.

The facility would not be lit as no walks would take place before dawn or after dark.

There would be four car parking spaces within the boundary of the field; the paddock would be open for one booking per hour, with a 10-minute changeover window and a maximum of two cars per booking.

There is a bus stop 400 metres away on the B3116 at the entrance to the village for those users taking public transport.

The application says the proposals take care not to harm the openness of the Green Belt through the “sensitive” choice of materials and keeping structures to a minimum.

It says they are not likely to cause ecological harm as no hedges or trees would be affected, and the area of field would be less disturbed than it has been in the past by horses.

In addition, it would easily be able to be returned to agricultural use at any point by removing the fence and mobile shelter.

There is already a solar array in this parcel of land, which would fenced off from the dog field and an access gate retained for mowing and maintenance.

The application says the nearest properties are 100 metres away: “We understand that there may be some concerns regarding potential noise from barking dogs and smell from dog waste.

“The submitted management plan outlines how noise and waste/smell will be managed and mitigated against.”

It adds: “The existing Woofpark dog park at Glenavon Farm has been operating for two years and is closer to dwellings and a public footpath and there have been no complaints about noise or smell.”

The planning reference is 26/01886/FUL. The deadline for comments is 12th June.