A plan to open a dog grooming parlour in Alsager has been withdrawn..

Sian Edwards had applied here to change the use of an existing commercial premises at 20B Lawton Road into a dog grooming salon. Alsager Nails has already taken 20C which is the old Dog's Dinner building.

But Cheshire East Council's planning department has received a letter withdrawing the application, 26/3126/FUL, for K9KIND Dog Grooming Salon, a small, professionally operated business providing one-to-one dog grooming service.

The salon would have been near Alsager Nails which has moved into the old Dog's Dinner

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5. Distribution of the Proposed Use

The proposed dog grooming use will be contained entirely within the existing 20B Lawton Road premises.

The submitted plan identifies the existing building and its internal arrangement.

The premises will provide appropriate areas for:

• Customer arrival and reception;
• Dog grooming;
• Bathing and drying;
• Storage of grooming equipment and supplies; and
• Staff facilities.

The activity associated with the proposed use will take place principally inside the existing building.

No external area is proposed to be used as a dog exercise, daycare or boarding area.

6. Design Approach

The proposal involves the appropriate reuse and internal adaptation of an existing commercial premises.

The salon will be fitted out specifically to provide a safe, hygienic and professional environment for the grooming of dogs.

The internal fit-out will include professional grooming tables, bathing facilities, drying equipment and associated grooming equipment.

Materials and finishes will be selected with the requirements of a dog grooming environment in mind, including durable, washable and easily maintained surfaces.

The design will provide a practical environment for the safe handling and grooming of dogs while also providing an appropriate customer-facing area.

No significant external structural alterations are proposed.

7. Relationship with Surrounding Uses

The proposed use will operate from an existing commercial premises within an established built-up area.

The nature and scale of the proposed business are such that customer activity will be limited and controlled.

With a maximum of approximately 10 - 12 appointments per day, operated on a one-to-one basis, there will not be a large number of dogs or customers present at the premises at any one time.

Appointments will be staggered throughout the working day, helping to prevent unnecessary congestion or gathering outside the premises.

Customers will be asked to arrive at their allocated appointment time and dogs will be brought directly into the salon.

The business will therefore operate in a manner intended to minimise any disturbance to neighbouring occupiers.

8. Access

Access to the premises will utilise the existing entrance and access arrangements.

The entrance is served by an existing ramp, providing step-free access into the premises.

No new vehicular access is proposed and there will be no alteration to the existing highway layout.

Customers may access the premises on foot or by car using the existing surrounding highway and parking arrangements.

There is nearby parking available at Asda which provides up to two hours of free parking subject to the terms and conditions of the car park. There is also a carpark located close by however customers will also be able to walk to the premises where appropriate.

The appointment-only nature of the business means that customer arrivals and departures will be spread throughout the day.

The proposal is therefore not expected to generate a significant concentration of traffic or pedestrian activity at the premises.

9. Accessibility

The existing ramped entrance provides step-free access to the premises.

The customer-facing areas will be arranged to provide clear and practical circulation wherever reasonably practicable within the constraints of the existing building.

The salon will seek to accommodate customers with different accessibility requirements, and staff will provide reasonable assistance where required.

No changes to external ground levels or the creation of new access routes are proposed.

10. Parking and Highway Considerations

The proposed business is a small-scale, appointment-only service.

With two groomers each undertaking approximately five appointments per day, the maximum anticipated level of customer activity is approximately 10 - 12 appointments per day.

Appointments will be distributed throughout the normal operating hours rather than customers arriving in large numbers at the same time.

Customers will either walk to the premises or use nearby parking facilities.

No new vehicular access is proposed.

Given the limited scale of the business and its appointment-only operation, the proposal is not expected to result in an unacceptable impact on highway safety or the operation of the surrounding highway network.

11. Noise and Disturbance

The proposed use is not expected to generate significant levels of noise.

Grooming and drying equipment will be operated within the enclosed premises.

The salon will operate primarily during normal daytime hours, with any future evening appointments remaining limited in number and appointment based.

The doors to the premises will generally remain closed other than for customers and dogs entering and leaving.

Dogs will be managed individually and will not be permitted to congregate unnecessarily outside the premises.

The business will therefore be operated in a considerate manner with the intention of minimising noise and disturbance to neighbouring occupiers.

12. Waste and Cleanliness

Dog grooming generates a relatively small amount of waste, principally consisting of dog hair and normal commercial waste.

The premises will be maintained in a clean and hygienic condition.

Dog hair and other grooming waste will be collected and disposed of appropriately.

Bathing and grooming areas will be cleaned regularly, with appropriate measures taken to manage water and cleaning requirements.

Commercial waste will be stored appropriately and removed through suitable waste disposal arrangements.

13. External Signage

A single business sign identifying K9KIND Dog Grooming Salon is proposed above the entrance to the premises.

The signage will be positioned directly above the shop entrance and will provide clear identification of the business.

The proposed signage will be proportionate to the premises and its commercial setting.

Any necessary advertisement consent will be dealt with separately where required.

14. Environmental Considerations

The proposal makes effective use of an existing commercial building and does not require the construction of a new building.

The internal fit-out will incorporate durable and easily maintained materials appropriate to the proposed use.

The small scale of the business and the controlled, appointment-only operating model mean that the environmental effects of the proposal are expected to be limited.

15. Conclusion

The proposal seeks to change the use of the existing commercial premises at 20B Lawton Road, Alsager, from Class E (Commercial, Business and Service) to a Sui Generis dog grooming salon.

The proposal will:

• Bring an existing commercial premises into continued active use;
• Provide a small local business serving the needs of the surrounding community;
• Employ two professional groomers;
• Operate on an appointment-only basis;
• Provide approximately five appointments per groomer per day;
• Provide one-to-one grooming rather than group accommodation;
• Require no significant external structural alterations;
• Utilise the existing ramped entrance;
• Make use of existing surrounding pedestrian and parking arrangements;
• Generate only a modest level of customer traffic;
• Keep grooming and drying activities within the enclosed premises;
• Manage dogs individually to minimise disturbance;
• Provide appropriate waste and hygiene arrangements; and
• Have a small, controlled relationship with the surrounding commercial and residential environment.

The proposal represents an appropriate reuse of an existing commercial premises and will retain the property within an active commercial/service function.

The scale and manner of operation are considered appropriate to the premises and surrounding area, and the proposal is not expected to result in unacceptable impacts in terms of access, highway safety, noise, disturbance or the character of the locality.