Plans approved for ‘self-service’ dog wash station at South Shields coastal spot

Plans for a ‘self-service’ dog wash station at a South Shields coastal spot have been given the green light by borough development bosses.

South Tyneside Council’s planning department has approved a bid for land next to the public toilets at the Harbour Drive South Car Park.

The plans from applicant NE Dog Wash, submitted earlier this year, aimed to install a dog wash station with service connections including power, water and waste.

The company, which already operates from locations in Blyth, Whitley Bay and several country parks across the region, provides dog wash stations with cycles including shampoo, rinse, conditioner, ‘further rinse’ and warm blow dry.

According to the NE Dog Wash website, the stations also have a quick ‘disinfect tub’ mode which is used to prepare the station for the next user.

Those behind the dog wash station plans in South Shields said the facility would have several benefits, such as encouraging more and longer visits to the town and “raising the status of adjacent attractions and facilities”.

After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved it on July 19, 2023.

A council decision report noted the development was “relatively modest in terms of its scale and appearance” and would not “give rise to any harm to local visual amenity”.

Council planners said the proposal would not impact the setting of nearby listed buildings or North Marine Park and would be acceptable in terms of drainage.

The council decision report adds: “In terms of parking for potential customers (and if customers needed this), the proposal would rely on the use of the existing Harbour Drive South Car Park (which is council owned and subject to pay and display requirements).

“It is considered that this car park could accommodate any possible parking demands of the proposal”.

Although it was noted the scheme would have some “recreational related effects” on nature sites, linked to dog walkers and dogs, council planners said this could be offset by mitigation measures.

This included a mitigation scheme, and an information board, that would be “encompassed into wider mitigation the council is undertaking in line with its recreation mitigation strategy”.

Under planning conditions the development must be brought forward within three years.

For more information on the plan and council decision, visit South Tyneside Council’s online planning portal and search reference: ST/0119/23/FUL

To find out more about applicant NE Dog Wash visit: https://www.nedogwash.co.uk