Plans for dog day care centre in Harborough district village are rejected over claims that the noise caused by barking dogs would be unacceptable

A scheme to build a dog day care centre in a historic Harborough village has been rejected after over 50 people protested.

Tim Polito and his wife applied to set up the special canine unit to look after dogs in a field off Drayton Road in Medbourne.

The local couple also wanted to create a new dog play area along with a complex for up to eight animals.

But their pet project was unanimously rejected at a meeting of Harborough District Council’s planning committee on Tuesday night.

Roy Carryer told councillors he was one of 53 people who objected to the new initiative – after the original plan was turned down last September.

Mr Carryer, a chartered town planner living in Medbourne, said the noise caused by barking dogs would be unacceptable.

Paul Battersby, who also lives in Drayton Road, Medbourne, said he had moved to the highly sought-after village for its “peace and tranquillity”.

Mr Battersby said he worked at home along with his wife and that eight barking dogs would trigger “uncontrollable noise pollution and a nuisance for residents”.

One of his neighbours, Dr Charlie Maratos, told the meeting that excessive noise seriously affects people’s health and sleep and can lead to anxiety and depression.

She said the “long and repetitive” barking of so many dogs would have a negative impact on the health of villagers.

Cllr Louise Pilkington, of Medbourne Parish Council, said the authority “strongly opposes” the dog day care unit.

She said: “Noise is a great concern to many people in our village.

“This scheme would impact on those living near the site and some distant from it as well.

“Up to eight dogs barking at once would create a significant impact.”

Cllr Michael Rickman, the Nevill ward member for Harborough council, insisted: “I must endorse all the objections to this.

“Medbourne is one of the most visited conservation villages in the district because of its quaint rural charm.”

The Conservative councillor added: “This application is totally incongruous and goes against Medbourne’s Neighbourhood Plan.

“I hope that it’s rejected.”

Chris Green, the planning consultant for the Politos, wrote to the council to say: “As long-time lovers of dogs the applicants are seeking to establish a ‘home from home’ dog day care experience, to provide a safe and secure environment for the ever-growing number of dogs in the village and surrounding area.”

Mr Green argued the planned project “would not lead to any adverse impacts from noise and disturbance to existing and future residents”.

But despite his pleas councillors voted unanimously to kick the bold blueprint into touch for the second time in six months.