Plans agreed for a 3.3-acre dogwalking field in the Cotswolds in May have been relaxed to include weekend and bank holiday use at the planned facility.

Mr and Mrs Jonathan Dembrey, of Sheephouse Farm on Uley Road, Dursley, asked Stroud District Council originally for permission to switch the already diversified use of pasture, on the edge of woodland, which has been used for equestrian purposes, to create a new drop-in dogwalking facility.

The address may be familiar to dog owners as it already hosts an independent dog health facility, The Renew Centre, which markets a range of canine care therapies including post-op rehabilitiation, pain management and stem cell therapy, along with an adjacent dog hydrotherapy unit.

A report supporting the original bid from Worcester-based property consultants Carver Knowles told planners:: "Mr and Mrs Dembrey have owned and occupied Sheephouse Farm since 1981. Sheephouse Farm, together with its farmhouse, is comprised of approximately 20 acres of grassland, 17 acres of woodland and a range of former farm buildings that have been converted into five let units, a purpose-built unit to house a dog hydrotherapy treadmill pool and the latest addition of a timber building to house a further dog hydrotherapy pool. The majority of the let units at Sheephouse Farm have a veterinary or dog hydrotherapy focus."

The original planning permission for the 1.34 hectare site, issued in May this year, permitted land that had already been diversified for horse grazing, on the proviso of SDC accepting a noise management plan which was subsequently put into place.

SDC officer Rachel Brown told planners: "The premises shall not be open for the trade or business hereby permitted other than between the hours of 07:00 and 19:00 Monday to Friday between April and September, and 07:00 to 16:00 between October and March," and it would exist for the sake of "the interests of the amenities of the occupiers of nearby residential property".

However this week, SDC considered an edit to the plan. No objections to the proposal were registered with the council.

The permission now includes an extended hours and days provision, with approval given for the site to be used between 9.00am and 2.00pm on weekends and Bank Holidays. Planners have told the applicants that the work must be completed by May 16, 2027.

Against a backdrop of growing applications for dog walking facilities in the UK, Pet Business Insurance (PBI) says that the diversification can be lucrative, with visitors being charged between £10 and £20 per session.

PBI said: "As of now, over 400 fields have been put aside in the UK to provide pets with safe spaces to exercise in. This move helps farmers maximize their land use and bring in additional revenue to their farms. However, not all areas hold the same potential, so farmers must know the locations that do well when leasing out space to dog owners."

● Latest ownership statistics compiled by Dogster suggest that there are around 13 million dogs in the UK, with Labrador Retrievers the most popular breed and the average cost of keeping a dog estimated at £1,875. Boarding costs the biggest single expenditure and pet insurance being the second biggest cost. The pet food, products and services market is now worth around £7.2bn.