Planning inspector rules against overnight dog kennels at Great Portland Street

A government planning inspector has ruled against allowing a commercial premises on Great Portland Street to operate as a boarding kennels for dogs, upholding a previous decision by Westminster Council to refuse planning permission.

Fido’s of Fitzrovia operates during the daytime as a pet wellness and grooming boutique under “class E use” but its owners had applied to Westminster Council for a change of use of the premises to allow it to additionally operate as an overnight boarding facility “sui generis use” .

After Westminster Council refused permission, applicant Anneleen Akle made an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate against the decision.

The main point of contention was the “effect of the proposal on the living conditions of the local residents by way of noise associated with the boarding of dogs within the basement level of the appeal site”, wrote the planning inspector Alison Scott in a decision made on 11 June.

Although a noise survey was undertaken by the applicant the inspector found that it did not support the planning application as it did not take into account noise travelling from the basement of the premises, through the structure of building, to the upper floors where residents would be sleeping.

The inspector ruled that “without robust evidence to illustrate that all noise pathways are correctly identified within this basement through a suite of accurate test results, it has not been demonstrated that no harm would arise to the living conditions of the occupants of the residential flats above arising from the sound of barking dogs”.

In making the decision the inspector noted that the daytime operation of the premises as a “retail and dog grooming service” falls within a lawful use of the property.

After Westminster Council refused planning permission in October 2025 the applicant, as well as making an appeal, submitted a second application to the council in January this year. A decision on that second application has yet to be made.

Westminster City Council: 26/00003/TPREF | Use of the basement and ground floors as a retail shop, pet wellness and grooming with an overnight boarding facility (sui generis use). | 87 Great Portland Street, London W1W 7LU.

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