Concerns have been raised at plans for “doggy buses” to run through a village.

Award-winning pet business Bruce’s Doggy Day Care has submitted a change of use application to turn a vacant building and land at Lanes End Farm, in Darenth Hill, Darenth, into a dog day care centre.

If approved, the new site will have capacity to cater for up to 91 dogs and will operate on Monday to Friday between 7.30am and 6pm.

The proposed development will have 15 car parking spaces, and additional space for a maximum of five doggy buses.

The organisation, which says it “operates like a children’s nursery but for dogs” and is “not a kennels”, plans to collect dogs from their homes, deliver them to the site in the morning and return them home in the afternoon.

If approved, a phased introduction of the doggy busses will be adopted, and it is claimed the use of them will reduce the number of vehicles coming in and out of the site.

The planning statement says: “The company’s standard business model operates with circa 80% of dogs arriving to the site on the doggy buses."

It is anticipated the remaining 20% of the dogs would be dropped off by their owners.

However, the plans to pamper pooches at the agricultural site have prompted concerns from Darenth Parish Council amid fears “the sound of up to 90 dogs barking” could disrupt villagers.

In a statement it said: “The proposed change of use is a business venture and the parish council questions the applicant’s contention that it would provide social and economic benefits that would outweigh the loss of agricultural land.”

It noted that the noise impact assessment submitted in support of the application is “silent on the fact that the application site lies within a valley”.

It said: “With much of the village housing overlooking the site, the sound of up to 90 dogs barking would spread upwards as well as horizontally creating an unacceptable level of noise for residents.

The applicant’s claim that noisy and disruptive dogs will not be accepted and it has not received any complaints from its largest sites, already in operation.

The pet business says it has built a “good reputation with local communities” and will monitor noise levels.

But the parish council raised concerns, saying it was “unable to see how it could be monitored or enforced” and it believes 91 is an “excessive” number of dogs to allow for a site of this size.

Neighbours also raised potential concerns over noise, with one saying: “The sound would be unbearable, especially in the summer months.

“I also suffer with a sound condition (misophonia) and dog barking is one of my trigger sounds, so it would put me under incredible stress.”

Another Bennett Way resident added: “I am practically house bound and I believe the noise coming from so many dogs so near to my home would be intolerable and very bad for my mental health as I could not escape the noise inside or outside.”

The parish council has also raised concerns over the disposal of both human and animal foul waste, and has questioned the claimed sustainability of the site.

The statement from the parish council added: “In particular the reliance placed on public transport since Darenth is served by four buses a day which run at 10.20, 11.50, 13.20 and 15.30.

“The suggestion that staff would car share or cycle is highly unlikely meaning that the provision of 20 car parking spaces, five of which would be taken by the doggy buses, would seem inadequate.”

It also assumes the collection of dogs and their return home through the doggy buses comes with an additional charge on top of the day care costs.

The council said it has concerns that if and when an owner stops using the service and resorts to car journeys there would be pressure on the on-site parking, which could have an adverse impact on the already busy Darenth Hill, Green Street Green junction.

As well as this, it said: “The planning statement is silent on the number of dogs that can be carried at any one time by the doggy buses and therefore the number of journeys in and out of the site is not known but may be at a level to have an impact on the traffic flow at the junction.”

Should the application be approved the parish council has asked that a condition be imposed to stress that the hours of business be as stated with the overnight boarding of dogs “strictly prohibited”.

To view the full plans click here and search for application no 23/00497/FUL.

Bruce's Doggy Day Care was founded in 2008 by Bruce Casalis, a lifetime dog owner, entrepreneur and “pioneering voice for dog welfare” having advised both the government and pet welfare agencies.

According to its planning statement, the business has helped “shape the future of dog day care and licensing/welfare standards”.

Over the last fifteen years, the business has grown in size and reputation and currently operates from nine day care centres.

The new site at Lane’s End Farm is expected to cater to dogs from the surrounding area including Dartford, Bromley, Chislehurst, Blackheath, Greenwich, Orpington, Sidcup and Bexley.