A rural dog park is making a renewed bid to stay in business after moves to shut it down on the grounds of noise.

Owner Eileen Taylor opened Unleashed Dog Adventure Park near Moira alongside daughter Clare in 2021, and described the concerns about noise as "mad", saying they are 70 metres from the nearest home (230ft).

The park stands on land where cattle previously grazed, and consists of a big fenced-in field with some dog ramps and other obstacles in it.

The park limits the number of dogs using it to six at a time, and charges £10 for 50 minutes.

placeholder image — Three dogs on the park's assault course; the business faces closure unless it can obtain planning permission

Planning permission for the dog park was originally refused in 2023 because the business "failed to demonstrate it would not harm the amenities of nearby residents by reason of noise or general disturbance", according to Armagh Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council planning officials.

Two neighbours had objected to the plans.

The business then appealed to the Planning Appeals Commission (PAC) which sent a commissioner to visit the park, located between Moira and Aghagallon.

He found that while there had apparently been no noise complaints to the council's Environmental Health Department since the park opened, "there would be a significant increase in noise and general disturbance" if the park were given the go-ahead.

He raised concerns about "intermittent dog barking" and about owners "talking and laughing", and threw the park's appeal out (though he also ruled that the council had carried out its assessment of the park under the wrong set of regulations).

Mrs Taylor said she was "dumbfounded" by the PAC decision.

To date, 3,129 people have signed an online petition calling for the dog park to be saved, and £2,010 has been raised by the park in public donations via GoFundMe.

Among the 21 people voicing support for the park to the PAC were DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley and People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll.

Now Mrs Taylor says a renewed planning application for the park has been sent to the council, at a cost of £7,500. Her hope is this one will be approved, saving the business.

It opened in July 2021, and Mrs Taylor said there was some confusion about whether it needed planning permission at all because none of those structures are permanent; ultimately, its application was submitted in December of that year.

Mrs Taylor, who is in her mid-50s and on a career break from being a DAERA civil servant, said: "At the end of the day, it is a field with a higher fence than usual where people come and let their dog exercise.

"It's in the middle of the country, with a small number of people, small number of dogs, small number of cars.

"The reason [for the rejection of their appeal] is that people are 'talking and laughing'? The world has gone mad.

"Business is very hard – I think one in 10 in the first year succeed, and the rest fail. You've all the bureaucracy, accounts to do, health-and-safety, rates, insurance, then you've all the online socials to do.

"It's only that I'm very determined. Most people would have given up. So it sends a very poor message to young people like my daughter. It knocks their enthusiasm and opportunities if local councils are not actually supporting and assessing things fairly."

The council said: “An application for the retention of a dog adventure park was dismissed by the PAC as no noise impact assessment was presented and, as such, the PAC concluded the development would have an adverse noise impact and cause disturbance on the amenity of those residents living off the lane.

"The applicant has recently submitted an amended application to council for the retention of the dog adventure park, which is currently at validation stage.”