A Polstead farmer is looking to create a dog exercising area on meadow land which will allow people to let their dogs off their lead in a controlled environment.

Alan and Susan Keeble have applied for permission from Babergh District Council to change the use of an agricultural field on land west of Justice Wood near the village, to an enclosed field for private dog walking. The area will include 1.8m fencing, including a gate and field shelter.

Mr and Mrs Keeble, who live at nearby Bower House Farm, will provide hourly sessions for local residents and members of the public to walk and exercise their dogs in an enclosed and fenced field that complements the field's use as a hay meadow.

The land will be securely enclosed with a 1.8m high post and wire fence, which could lawfully be erected under

permitted development, and would enable people to walk with their dogs off the lead without the worry of them

running away.

According to the panning statement submitted on behalf pf the couple by their agent ben Elvin, this service will particularly appeal to those owners who have dogs which may be nervous /antisocial, have poor recall, a disability or may be an area for initial puppy training away from other dogs.

The couple believe a dog walking field set in the rural countryside which is easily accessible will be a valuable addition to the dog walking community in and around Babergh.

The proposal will involve customers booking hourly sessions (with the option of booking for longer sessions) using

an online booking system for them to use the dog walking field.

Only customers who have made a prior booking will be able to use the field. The booking system will restrict customers so that only customers with a maximum of six dogs may use the facility at any one time.

The land which has been identified for this use as a smaller less productive arable field which makes accessing with modern larger farm machinery more difficult. The land will be cropped to grass and farmed as a low input traditional meadow that is cropped to hay each year, but also used for dog walking.

As part of this proposal, the applicants wish to improve the biodiversity of the field by the reintroduction of wildflowers to the meadow. These will include: Wildflower native species: Red Campion, Black Medick, Common Knapweed, Oxeye Daisy, Ribwort Plantain, Yarrow, Field Poppy, Lady's Bedstraw, Meadow Buttercup, Cowslip, Salad Burnet.

Grass species: Browntop Bent, Strong Creeping Red Fescue, Crested Dogs tail, Chewing's Fescue and

Sheep's Fescue.

This encourages a traditional wildflower meadow that can be cut for hay and encourage wildlife and enriches the

environment for pollinating insect species. The hay will be a late cut in August to ensure that the maximum

pollinating species can benefit from the wildflower mix located on the meadow.

The applicants will install a bat roost box and further barn owl box to encourage further wildlife and use of the

meadow.

It is confirmed that no commercial puppy or dog training / agility classes will be permitted, and neither will there be

any agility equipment on the site. The use of the site solely relates to dog walkers exercising, for the physical health

and mental well-being of dogs and their owners and to enjoy the local countryside.

It is confirmed that a dog waste bin will be provided for users of the field inside the perimeter fence and this will be

emptied twice weekly by the applicants. The waste will then be collected by a licensed waste contractor and the site will be inspected at regular intervals to ensure the site remains clean and clear.

An area of hardstanding will be excavated inside the entrance gate to provide access and safe parking for three cars

in all weathers.

For more details on the application, or to make comments supporting or objecting to the proposal, go to the Babergh planing website here, and use reference: DC/21/01599.