Dog park plans in Titchfield are approved by Fareham Borough Council

The council’s planning committee decided to approve a change of use to create a four-acre dog park on a site to the east of Meon Road which is currently vacant but was previously for equestrian use. The park will be open between 8am and 6pm Monday to Saturday and users would be required to pre-book a slot, either 30 or 60 minutes, via an online booking system.

Planning documents state: “The field extends to approximately four acres, which we intend to separate into a one-acre field at the front and a three-acre field to the rear. Our reason for this is that the owners of smaller dogs may prefer less space to exercise/train than those with larger breeds of dog. We believe this facility is going to be helpful to owners who have dogs that for certain reasons may prefer to keep them separate from others i.e. reactive dogs, dogs that have little or no recall, training or dogs in season. The fence we intend to use is agricultural deer or stock fencing supported by wooden posts. Our reason for this is to provide a safe environment for the dogs, and also to protect any wildlife.”

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The application, from Daphne Gale, attracted five letters of representation, including comments from the Fareham Society, and a petition which included five signatures from three households. In its letter, the Fareham Society said: “Although little information has been given on the proposed use it is reasonable to assume that on a site of this size, there would be likely to be additional activity and increased in the coming and going of traffic sufficient to detract from the character and appearance of this rural area. The site is outside the urban area boundary and the visual quality of this area within the Meon Valley is recognised by its designation as an Area of Special Landscape Quality (ASLQ).”

Recommending approval, the planning officer said the plan would “protect the landscape, biodiversity and recognise the intrinsic character and beauty of the countryside” and not have an “unacceptable adverse impact on the environmental conditions” of neighbouring homes.