Plan to turn land in Harborough into a private dog-walking field has been withdrawn

An under-fire scheme to turn land in Market Harborough into a private dog-walking field has suddenly been dropped by the landowner.

The proposal in Little Bowden was due to go before Harborough council’s Planning Committee on Tuesday night (July 21).

But the embattled plan has been withdrawn out of the blue after over 70 local people objected to it.

Council planning officers had recommended that the project on Queen Street, off Braybrooke Road, be refused.

They feared that a six foot mesh fence set to be erected to circle the rustic two-acre site would be a blot on the landscape.

Back in May Harborough council slapped an “Immediate Article 4 Direction” on the chunk of agricultural grazing land.

The order “removes certain permitted development rights”.

As a result the landowner, who hasn’t been named, was told to specifically “obtain planning permission such as for the erection of a gate, fence or wall” in future.

“Planning permission is not usually needed for that work.

“The purpose of making these works subject to planning permission is to help protect the character and appearance of the area,” said the district council as it acted.

“Separately, the council has yet to take a planning decision on proposals to install fencing and use this land for a dog-walking area.”