Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Would-be council leader linked to planning row
A would-be council leader has become embroiled in a planning dispute after his husband turned a field into a dog-walking facility without official permission.
Cllr Ben Fitter-harding who is tipped to take the top role from Cllr Rob Thomas following an imminent vote of no confidence - has moved to defend the controversial actions of his spouse. Last autumn, Jon Fitter-harding turned a former agricultural site in Pett Bottom, near Canterbury, into Hugo’s Fun Dog Fields.
Dog owners can go online to hire out the space, where they can take their pets to exercise or train off a lead for up to an hour at a cost of £10.
But changes made to the site - including dividing it into three secure parcels of land using fencing and creating parking for five vehicles were completed without planning permission.
It meant Mr Fitter-harding was forced to apply retrospectively, with the application brought before the council’s planning committee last Thursday night.
The plans have faced huge backlash from those living in the nearby hamlet of Lynsore Bottom, sparking 27 objections - some running up to six pages in length. Opponents raise concerns about noise, increased traffic, and the business’s impact on the landscape.
At a virtual meeting of the council’s planning committee on Thursday, neighbour Artemis Cooper said: “Hugo’s Dog Fields employs nobody local, and brings to this community nothing but noise, pollution and a great deal more traffic.” Upper Hardres Parish Council is also objecting to the application, saying the business is “out of context” and “disturbs the tranquility” of the Kent Downs Area of Natural Beauty and Site of Special Scientific Interest, in which it sits.
The council’s clerk added that the the presence of dogs has also frightened sheep that graze in adjoining fields, as spooked horses, putting riders at risk.
“This facility is not used by local people, is of no benefit to local people, and is detrimental to the lives of local people,” they said.
Cllr Nick Eden-green moved for the plans to be refused. On June 1, he visited the site, and was disgusted to find “at least 20 dog poo bags” in one section of the field. “I frankly gave up counting after 20,” he said.
But Cllr Fitter-harding says the mess was left behind by another business that previously used the site.
He said: “All the complaints on the application relate to that use rather than what it’s actually being used for now. I think it’s really unfortunate that those two things have been confused.”
But the plans have also been met with huge support from customers who use the field receiving more than 70 letters of endorsement. Among them is Jonathan Cowe, who uses a wheelchair, and spoke at the meeting to tell how the site has made a “huge difference” to him. He said: “I have a spinal injury which affects my body and my hands. This field is a godsend because it’s accessible for me.
“I can let my dog off the lead, she can run around. Without this field I’d have nowhere to take her. I wouldn’t be able to walk her.
“There’s no other field like it in Canterbury and the surrounding area.”
In a pre-recorded message played at the meeting, the applicant added: “We’re a lifeline for many people who for many reasons cannot go out and walk their dog in a local park or street. Some of our customers have physical disabilities, some have family members with learning difficulties.
“The proposals do therefore benefit the wider community and district, providing a secure, spacious and safe environment for dog walking in an appropriate location. “There are currently no secure dog fields in the district, but there is a high level of demand, as demonstrated by the 70 letters of support.” Council officers recommended the plans for approval.
But at Thursday’s meeting, councillors failed to reach an agreement, with the vote split five against five.
It left the deciding vote to stand-in committee chairman Colin Spooner, who said he was unable to make a decision so deferred the application until a later meeting when more information is available.
The normal chairman, Cllr Ian Thomas, declared an interest in the application so stood down when it was debated, but would not say what that interest was. He is the father of Cllr Rob Thomas.
A vote of no-confidence in the council leader was due to take place on Monday this week, but was postponed until a time when it can take place in person without breaching lockdown restrictions.
‘This facility is not used by local people, is of no benefit to local people, and is detrimental to the lives of local people’