Residents win battle to stop dog grooming business

9:34am Monday 3rd November 2003

RESIDENTS who feared they would be driven barking mad by a neighbour have won their battle to stop her starting up a dog grooming business on their estate.

About 50 homeowners signed a petition against the plans for the business to be based at a house in Laurel Drive house, Loudwater, fearing the noise from barking dogs and additional pressure on parking spaces on the estate.

Despite endeavours by applicant Julie Heath to build a soundproof room to combat potential noise, plans were rejected by councillors.

Cllr Dalton, who was on the planning committee, said: "When the dogs arrive, they still have to get into the soundproof environment and it could be bark, bark, bark. Residents will suffer and the whole thing has the potential for disaster."

Sarah Jane Sydenham, a resident of Laurel Drive, said: "The houses on the drive are close together and we were concerned about the noise level from the barking. We have no problem with the conversion but the dogs will be in a strange place and will bark.

"The road is also narrow and there is a problem with parking anyway without adding to it which I believe it will when more than one owner parks to bring or pick up a dog."