Green belt home plan withdrawn

A Dunblane dog trainer has withdrawn a bid to build a house on land where she rears rare sheep.

Last November Dawn Green submitted an application to Stirling Council planners, saying she wanted to protect her flock and train pets to behave around livestock.

Ms Green established Dogs at Dawn eight years ago and also developed a small farm where she breeds Ryeland sheep, a rare breed which has been known to fetch considerable sums.

She had been seeking to build an environmentally-friendly house west of Auchinlay House, near Dunblane, and wanted permission for a building to house a dog training school.

However, in recent weeks the application has been withdrawn.

Several letters of support were submitted for the project, with supporters praising Ms Green’s skills and saying the training would benefit the countryside and farmers.

There were also two objections plus one from Dunblane Community Council.

The community council said it had a policy to oppose developments that do not conform with the local development plan “unless the applicant can demonstrate that they have consulted to broadly the level and standard as happens in the process that has created the LDP and that there is general agreement that the development is beneficial”.

They added: “It is clear that the service offered is valued by users but that does not in itself justify the construction of a house.

“Consequently as this is a development in the green belt for which there has not been any public consultation, we oppose this application.”

Last November Ms Green told council planners: “The Outdoor Right to Roam Act allows for dog walkers to cross land that has livestock on it.

“Pet dogs have been responsible for many sheep attacks and deaths to the point whereby the National Farmers’ Union and police have joined together to encourage dog owners to seek professional dog training assistance.

“I am developing training programmes to include working with sheep for those dogs who have reached a good standard of control.”

Ms Green said she was planning a residential training programme which would require the dog to stay with her and be exposed to sheep regularly.

She said she had built up a breeding flock of pedigree Ryeland sheep, starting with three but now with more than 40, and she was developing a small farm.

Planning consultants for Ms Green, who lives in Bridge of Allan, had said looking after the sheep was a seven-day-a-week commitment and, despite being on the site daily, the problem of urban trespass was “still significant”.

It is not known whether Ms Green intends to submit an alternative application.