Partners are in dog house over shelters

TWO entrepreneurs who featured on Dragons' Den for their Edinburgh "dog creche" business have angered community groups by building on the green belt without planning consent.

Businesswomen Sandy Maxwell-Forbes and Sarah McLean, who failed in a bid to secure 75,000 from the BBCbusiness show have erected three all-weather shelters at their Colinton-based Citidogs business without applying for planning consent first.

They were ordered to submit a retrospective planning application by council officials after they received a complaint about the development on Woodhall Road.

Community groups have now urged councillors to reject the application when they make a decision later this week.

Colinton/Fairmilehead councillor Jason Rust said: "If the recommendation to grant this application is approved, it will effectively turn a green-belt site into a brownfield site.

"This would set a precedent from which there would be no return and must be resisted."

The idea behind the business is to improve on the dogwalking services already on offer by picking up the dogs from their owners then giving them a full day of attention and games on the edge of the city and at the foot of the Pentland Hills.

Ms Maxwell-Forbes denied that the land's green-belt status should stop them putting shelters on it. She said: "All we're doing is providing a safe environment, fenced in on half an acre of land with shelters, where dogs can get exercised and trained.

"We've gone on the edge of town so that we can pick up dogs at home and only travel 20 minutes to get to the foot of the Pentland Hills.

She said that she had not realised she needed consent for the shelters because a neighbouring farm had similar structures and did not need consent. Officials only investigated after receiving a complaint. David Bewsey, convener of the planning sub-committee of the Colinton Amenity Association, claimed that Citidogs' intention "has always been to erect permanent buildings".

He said: "If such is indeed the case, strategies to manipulate or evade planning regulations and policies should not be rewarded with success."

Planning officials have recommended that the retrospective planning applications get approval at a meeting on Wednesday, although councillors will have the final say.

John Bury, the council's head of planning, said: "The non-statutory guideline on 'development in the countryside and green belt' considers uses such as a cattery or kennel may be appropriate uses in the green belt, provided that a countryside location is essential."