A DOG training business at Watercombe House has been given retrospective permission despite complaints from some neighbours about noise.

A Dorset Council check on levels found that any noise created during training sessions was of short duration and little louder than the average background noise.

Several neighbours had written to complain about noise from the business, which has been in operation for several years, although many dog owners had written to say how they valued the service.

The garden to the south of the grade 2listed building, south of the Wareham Road, and within the Heritage Coast area and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, has been used for dog training, including agility, with the owner, Mrs Ruth Waters, hoping to expand the business.

Owermoigne parish council had not objected to the application and there has been no objection from highways officers.

Environmental health officers who monitored noise levels on a single day during which two agility classes were held found little evidence to back up claims of disturbance.

Their report noted: “the main observed noise from the agility training was from the dog owners shouting instructions. Whilst these were audible the content was not distinguishable and the level of the noise was not greater than ambient birdsong, this noise did not affect the measured noise level.” In terms of the noise generated from the dogs it was found that dog barking was very occasional and of short duration. The noise level of this barking was much lower at the monitoring location than barking dogs from the nearby houses or horses from the livery stables neighing.”

A report found that although space for up to 70 cars was asked for, this was based on the land available, and the usual level was less than ten.

Use of the site will be limited to 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday with opening up to 8pm from April until the end of October.