Plans approved for Sunderland ‘self-service’ dog wash station at Marine Walk in Roker

Plans for a ‘self-service’ dog wash station at Sunderland’s seafront have been given the green light by city development chiefs.

Sunderland City Council’s planning department has approved a planning application for land near the Marine Walk council car park in Roker.

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

The company, which already operates from locations in Blyth, Whitley Bay and several country parks, 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.

Plans were recently approved for a dog wash station at the Harbour Drive South Car Park in South Shields.

A planning statement from applicants said a new facility in Sunderland would “encourage more and longer visits” and “raise the status of adjacent attractions and facilities”.

After considering the planning application and assessing it against planning policies, Sunderland City Council’s planning department approved it on March 27, 2024.

A council decision report noted the plans would “enhance the quality of tourism for the public to the area whilst only using a small area of open space”.

It was also noted that the unit could be removed “if no longer required” and “as such it is not considered that the loss of open space is significant in this instance and the benefit outweighs the small loss of the space”.

Elsewhere, there were no objections from the council’s ecology team and no issues raised around design or negative impacts on residential amenity and the local conservation area.

The council decision report adds: “The proposed loss of a small area of open space at the location is considered to be offset on account of the provision of a facility to be more accessible for visitors.

“It would comply with the above national and local policies and is recommended for approval subject to the following conditions”.

One planning condition includes the development being brought forward within three years.

For more information on the plan and council decision, visit Sunderland City Council’s planning portal website and search reference: 24/00164/FU4

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