Paws in the Paddock, Goat Brow (2025)

28/03/2025

Thank you so much for all the kind words of encouragement. I'm certainly not giving up.

If you know of anyone who would be willing to sell me some land or even do a swapsies, please get in touch.

The criteria:
1. At least 1 acre.
2. Roadside access (with good visibility/no blind bits - not making that mistake again).
3. Not too near houses.
4. Within a 3-4 mile radius of Cockermouth.
5. Pretty flat / not on a steep hill.

Please share or get in touch if you can help.

(Photo taken today on my field with my dog walking dogs)

27/03/2025

**Update**

Im afraid this isnt the update I was wanting to post today...

18months after first submitting my 'change of use application' on the field, I finally got an onsite meeting with my agent, the planner and the highways agency this week. I was so sure that between us, we'd come up with a solution to the entrance to the field, that i started taking all the things I've collected over the last 2 years to the field (tyres, jumps, a shed based etc)

For those that are not aware, everything on my application was accepted, but the highways couldn't sign off on having cars turning in and out of the field where the current entrance is. This is due to the curvature of the road creating a blind spot.

I approached my land neighbour and they very kindly agreed to the possibility of gaining access over their land to get to mine further up the hill, however there are also rules and regulations that this option doesn't comply with.

If it were just me and my staff entering and exiting the land, thats absolutely fine, but the fact it will be open to the public to hire, we cannot find a solution that would be safe.

Sadly, because of this, Paws in the Paddock looks very unlikely to be able to open to the public. I'm so sorry. As you can imagine I'm devasted.

Thank you to the 80+ of you that commented in favour of my plan on my application and for all the support and encouragement over the last few years.

Im not giving up. My dream is to open a safe and fun dog exercise area in or around Cockermouth. Unfortunately, the currently location just isnt to be.

I will leave this page open for a week so everyone has chance to see this post, but then, I will be closing it down until a new location has been secured.

24/03/2025

Calling all farmers and tyre collectors....

We are on the hunt for some large tyres for our field for the dogs to jump on, through or play in.

If you have any lying around that you could either drop off at the field, or I could fit in my van and collect, please let me know 😊

Thank you 🚜

22/02/2025

As previously mentioned, during the recent storms, the big Ash tree came down in the winds.
Typically, it fell right along the fence line.
The farmer of the neighbouring field will be wanting to put sheep in the fields in the next few weeks, so today's mission was to try and cut the tree into small, more movable pieces.
My amazing brother, Owen, has done an amazing job cutting the tree into smaller pieces (my little boy had great fun watching him).
We now just need to pile all the wood and branches up (on my side of the fence) and theb ask someone with a mega tractor to pull the larger bits if trunk into the middle of the field to create a great feature in the dog park.

13/02/2025

Still no news yet regarding my 'change of use' application I'm afraid 🙄

However a few things are happening behind the scenes...

The big ash tree fell down in the storms. I was looking at getting this professionally removed as it was rotton at the base and it was suffering from ash die back. I obviously didn't want it falling down once I was up and running, so thanks to the latest storms, it saved me a job and a lot of money. I just need to chop it up, dish out the wood and fix the fence 😅

I've spoken to my planner this week and by the sounds of it, everything has been ticked off apart from the access issues. As soon as this gets sorted, we'll be good to go, however it does sound like quite alot of ££ is going to have to be spent to make it a safe turn off.

I am not giving up though. We will get there and it will be worth it.

(I took some of the Lakeland Dog Walker dogs up to the field today to get some photos for the planner and couldn't resist a photo shoot on the tree)

31/12/2024

Please be careful when driving up Goat Brow. The culvert under the road appears to have blocked again due to the severe amount of rainwater we have had today.
I have reported it to the Highways both online and via emergency phonecall, but there is alot of standing water on the road and I'd hate for an accident to occur before Highways are able to unblock it.

30/09/2024

If you commented on my Change of Use application earlier in the year, you should have received the below email.

Hopefully, this means it's all going through and I'll get an answer after 14th October 🤞

If you wish to pop in a comment of support or have any additional information that will help me get this venture up and running, please email this to Louise White on [email protected]

Thank you 🐾

‐ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dear Sir/Madam

Re-consultation on planning application

Reference No: FUL/2024/0002

Applicant: Ms Naomi Le Voi

Proposal: Proposed change of use from agricultural field to use land as a secure exercise field for dog walking.

Location: Land At Papcastle Roundabout, Papcastle, CA13 0NT

Amendment: Flood risk assessment and amended visibility plan

Please indicate any observations you may have by e-mail to [email protected] or by separate letter.

In order to ensure that applications are dealt with as quickly as possible I would be grateful if you could reply by 14/10/2024.

Representations received after this date may be too late to influence the Local Planning Authority’s decision on this application.

Could you please mark any correspondence for the attention of Louise White.

Please note that all the information contained in this application can be viewed by the public and on our website -
https://cumberlandcouncil.my.site.com/pr3/s/planning-application/a3X3X00000M502WUAR

Yours faithfully

Louise White
Planning Officer

04/09/2024

Here is my very high-tech, accurate, and amazing drawing of my vision 😅
OK, so it's not to scale, it is a very rough drawing, but it is what I am working towards.
As far as I am aware, everything is submitted to the council now, so I'm just waiting for a yes or a no from them.
Everything is crossed I get the go-ahead as soon as possible 🤞

26/07/2024

A little update:

- I received the Flood Risk Assessment report back this week that I had to get done. In this assessment, it is recommended that I open up the culvert that often floods in the winter. Opening it up will allow the stream to fill up rather than overflow. It will also create a nice habitat for wildlife and a place for the dogs to drink from after their visit.

- I had a meeting with Wall & Tree Cockermouth yesterday about trimming back one of the ash trees on the land which is sadly dying (instead of taking the whole thing down, he's doing to trim it back and use the wood to create a wildlife corridor down the side of the field).

- I met with someone who (hopefully) will be granting me with lots of trees to plant down the middle of the field to seperate the two exercise areas (I need to apply for a grant, but he was very positive about my plans and thought I was in with a good chance of getting the grant 🤞)

- The grass has been cut and bailed thanks to Eddy Beard, so it's looking nice and tidy.

- I'm hoping to meet with my planner from Mitchells Auctioneers, Cockermouth this next week to discuss the access.

I think the main thing that is holding everything up is figuring out a safe way to enter and exit the field in a vehicle. If anyone has any ideas we can put forward, they'd he greatly received. At the moment, there is not good enough visibility looking down the hill when exiting the field.

So again, I'm so sorry I haven't got better news, but things are still happening behind the scenes. As soon as the change of use is granted, it'll be Go! Go! Go! to get up and running.

(We went for a family picnic in the field this evening. This is my husband, Matt, and our Goldendoodle, Bindi, pictured chilling on a hay bail).

12/06/2024

I'm no further on with the planning application unfortunately, so nothing new to report there, however I have dug up our front garden at home and extracted a number of plants and wildflowers and replanted them in a corner of the field.

My vision is to have lots of wildflowers and colourful dog friendly plants in the areas surrounding the exercise spaces, so it felt great to make a start on that this afternoon.

If you're digging up your garden and have any dog friendly plants, shrubs or trees going spare, I'll happily take them off your hands 😉

24/04/2024

A little update...

My field neighbour has put some of the most friendly sheep I've ever encountered on the field. They're doing a great job of keeping the grass down, and they come and say hello each time i walk through the gate..

The last few days have been productive.

I have met with the Counci/Highways to get advice on the field entrance.

I've met with my planning advisor, and we're looking at other options for field access for vehicles.

I've also met with Rubicon Project Consulting, who have advised on opening up the river that runs under the bottom of the field, drainage options and they're going to do a flood risk assessment for me.

So... things are happening behind the scenes, albeit VERY slowly.

Thank you for your patience.

11/03/2024

EIGHTY FIVE of you! That's absolutely amazing!

Thank you so much for the 85 comments of support for Paws in the Paddock. It really does mean so much to have this amount of backing from the local community.

I've had 5 objections with the main issue being the parking, so this may need a rethink.

The other 2 main issues seem to be noise (understandable, but there will be a limit on the number of dogs in the field at any one time AND everyone that uses the field has to pre book so we'll know exaxtly what dogs are in at all times)
Secondly, dog poo - bins and poo bags will be provided and emptied regularly and the spaces where the dogs will be exercises is a good 50m away from the stream).

I think all we can do now is wait and see now 🤞

To read some of the comments, go to this link: https://cumberlandcouncil.my.site.com/pr3/s/planning-application/a3X3X00000M502WUAR/ful20240002?c__r=Arcus_BE_Public_Register&fbclid=IwAR2NSxJkClEQq1F9CxefTlGyDCM39Ghm1TcuKkLKlw3PsGgoOfX5Q4l-WLg&tabset-dfed1=2

Paws in the Paddock

28/03/2025

27/03/2025

24/03/2025

22/02/2025

13/02/2025

31/12/2024

30/09/2024

04/09/2024

26/07/2024

12/06/2024

24/04/2024

11/03/2024

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