Plainview Planning recently obtained approval for a retrospective change of use application to Sui Generis, to enable the expansion of a canine excellence centre near Crawley. The erection of three purpose built units to provide further specialist care associated with the business were also allowed.
Due to the popularity and demand for the service the business had been forced to occasionally use an adjacent paddock, along with two timber structures, to house the dogs. In order to enable the expansion of the business properly to meet demand, our client needed full use of the paddock and to erect further purpose built units.
The problem
However, the needs of our client were directly contrary to local policy, which seeks to protect the countryside and resist the extension of the built up area to encroach upon it any further.
The solution
We identified a key exception to the policy and argued successfully that it should be applied to our client’s case as the nature of their work meant that it could not successfully be undertaken in an urban environment. Our client was also demonstrably meeting the needs of the local community as the business was becoming increasingly popular and needed to expand.
Further to this we identified not only that due to the natural screening of the paddock, the impact on nearby properties and amenity would be mitigated, but also how the business expansion met the criteria for local policies relating to new business development outside the defined built up area.
The outcome
This approval has enabled a local business to keep trading and to expand the service it offers, bringing more jobs to the area.