Bookable dog-walking field rejected

The plans were rejected over green belt concerns

Plans for a bookable dog-walking area have been refused by a local authority over concerns about its effect on the green belt.

Sunderland City Council officials blocked an application to convert agricultural land in the Penshaw area to be used by dogs and their owners.

Under the plans, pet owners would have been able to book the field for walking their dogs for up to 60 minutes per session.

Evolve Planning and Design, the agent who wrote the application on behalf of an anonymous applicant, has been approached for comment.

In the planning documents, the applicant said there was an "increasing demand for secure dog walking fields".

It would also provide a "useful facility for those with mobility issues or young children… as well as being a safe space for any anxious dogs, service dogs or dogs with behavioural issues".

But the local authority rejected the plans because it "would constitute inappropriate development within the green belt".

It said the scheme would lead to an "intensification of the use of the site" and would result in the "urbanisation of the countryside", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The applicant has the right to appeal against the decision.