A DOG groomers has had a planning bid refused by a whisker over concerns about traffic and noise.

Councillors voted six votes to five with one abstention to refuse the retrospective application for a dog grooming and City and Guilds training parlour in a domestic garage at no 4 Fernbank in Greenhill, Evesham, put forward by homeowner Carole Gowers.

Officers had recommended the application for conditional approval, adding that some grooming could actually take place without planning approval being required.

The officers’ view was this would be a good time for councillors to limit the hours of business use with planning conditions. Objector Anthony Gleave said noise and traffic were the big issues. “On one occasion one large white poodle was heard barking incessantly for 10 minutes,” he said.

But Geoff Gowers, the applicant’s husband, said: “There have been no noise and no parking issues.”

Councillor Jo Sandalls said working from home was fine but “not to the detriment of neighbours”. Coun Rob Adams said: “We want people with skills and I quite like training people to equip them for work but I have sympathy with objectors who live nearby.”

Worcestershire County Council’s highways officer had no objections. The application had collected 15 objections, mostly from neighbours while 27 others supported the bid – many of them customers.

Despite the refusal, planning officers said: “Under permitted development there could be an element of dog grooming undertaken from the garage building without the need for formal planning consent.”