AN IN-DEMAND dog daycare company is looking to expand its operations with a rural site on the outskirts of Silchester and Little London.

wagNwalkies is looking to use Latchmere Green Barn, in Ash Lane, Little London, as a dog daycare, grooming and training centre facility and has submitted a planning application to change the use of the site.

The company has a base - its wagNwalkies Country Retreat- near Alton but says it is being forced to turn down expressions of interest for its dog daycare and dog grooming services in and around the Basingstoke area.

In its planning statement, the company states: “wagNwalkies has been declining dog daycare and dog grooming business within the RG20s postcodes for many months. 80 per cent of our existing business is located in the RG20s and not in the GU34 postcode of our other premises.”

Clair Ramshaw, one of the partners who owns and runs the business, said: “We were outgrowing our current facility, and so we were looking to expand and relocate.

We need a bigger premises, ever since we had to start turning down business. It isn’t a typical dog day care, it’s a quieter, calmer operation, which has been very successful. We have expanded from being a one-person operation to having 10 people.”

The company offers a range of services for pets, from puppy socialising to daycare for dogs while their owners are at work.

The planning statement adds: “All of the wagNwalkies services are operated in a bespoke manner, focused around a home from home environment, unlike the American stereotypes which lean more towards the potential for noise, conflict and discordance between dogs.”

The application is also to change the use of vacant field adjacent to the barn as a dog walking area.

The planning application, submitted to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, is due to be decided by Tuesday, 16 January, 2018.

To view and comment on the application go to https://planning.basingstoke.gov.uk/onlineapplications/ and search using the reference code 17/03768/FUL