Vet next door

[Newgate]

Just received planning permission notice that the owner of the house next door, terrace, wants to convert the house to a vet practice.

Am I right to be worried? We have a GP on the terrace but this feels wrong. I am worried about noise and smells. Could it have an impact on value? Would people want to buy a house attached to a vet? I have a call with the planning officer. Please help.

I can clearly remember the day we took our cat to the vet and there were a couple of wallabies in a transit van parked outside (they were from the park across the street). The back of the van was bouncing up and down and there were two park staff trying to keep the back doors of the van firmly closed whilst laughing.

I would be worried about parking and possibly about dog fouling. but more about the parking.

Id be focusing on the parking/ traffic, waste management and also the noise over night. I have previously worked in a vets and the howling from poorly post op dogs (albeit not their fault as they are uncomfortable and in a strange place) or dogs barking at other animals is definitely an issue in a residential setting. It would definitely put me off buying a place as much as I love animals.

Thank you all so much. You have given me points to raise with the council.

I used to live opposite a vet practice on a residential road.

The main problem wasn't the noise. It was people/customers walking their dogs up and down outside (both sides of the road) before appointments and the dog mess left behind.

Also, it was very difficult to get off and on the drive with our cars with regards the number of cars double parked, and also blocking the pavements and people's driveways.

Traffic would come to a standstill and have to queue far back to get around the slew of inconsiderately parked cars and irate drivers would argue over who's right of way it was.

Saturday mornings were worst. I used to dread having to take my daughters to their classes because it was a nightmare trying to get off and then back on the drive.

It was fantastic when they relocated.

I’m a vet. Agree with previous posters - parking will definitely be a major problem every day. Smell shouldn’t be an issue, noise might be occasionally. But parking will absolutely definitely be an ongoing nightmare.

A residential street doesn't sound like a good place for a vets' surgery. A place with its own parking makes a lot more sense.

Also a vet.
I would be very concerned about parking if there is no car park. Dogs very much do bark and howl at the vets, especially if in the kennels. Where will these be located? Will they be keeping dogs in overnight? Cats aren’t an issue as not noisy but I wouldn’t want a barking dog next door all day and night.
Opening hours at weekends - if you want to have a lie in are they planning to open at 8am on Saturday?

I think I would approach this from a parking point of view. The house probably is not zoned for business use. I would expect a vets to need somewhere with bigger space and facilities. There are town centre vets but most are well established. I would say parking and traffic is the best way to object.

My local vets was a house in a street until 30 years ago. They moved out to a much more suitable premises. No one ever complained about it but they couldn’t offer a large range of facilities so needed to modernise.

Vets aside, I'd be concerned that allowing one property in a residential street to be used for commercial purposes would set a precedent and open the door for other applications.

My vet is a small practice and there's a big hospital the animals go to if they need out of hours treatment or overnight care. I'd be more bothered about a commercial premises next door and parking on a residential street than what they do in there.

@MrsFin
That’s why local councils zone areas for residential and employment. Often there are better incentives for people to set up in a business zone where there are shops and parking. I would make strenuous efforts to see if this council has such a policy and contact my local councillor.

[quote TizerorFizz]@MrsFin
That’s why local councils zone areas for residential and employment. Often there are better incentives for people to set up in a business zone where there are shops and parking. I would make strenuous efforts to see if this council has such a policy and contact my local councillor.[/quote]
I know! That's why I'd be concerned that if the vet business was permitted in a residential area, it would set a precedent.

It's better than a block of flats or conversion into a HMO/Bail Hostel/Treatment unit for addicts or sex offenders/a Pupil Referral Unit/charismatic church, etc, as it's certainly not likely to have fights, parties, dealing, drinking, antisocial behaviour or hundreds of people attending at once for 5am prayer meetings, evening services, parties, weddings, dedications and two over amplified services lasting hours every Sunday, complete with holiday club, lunch club, preschool and outreach services for the homeless.

You're looking at some building work and then a few people an hour visiting and then leaving, possibly a handful of animals secure inside and likely to be too unwell to make much noise, plus deliveries and collections.

Be prepared for a battle with this one. If the person submitting the application can prove that jobs will be created by the application being successful it may be granted despite local opposition. I would be looking to gather support from neighbours.

Dh is a vet, he works at a surgery which is on a residential street - they are not 24 hours so strictly never keep animals there overnight, all deceased pets are kept in a freezer so no smells, etc. And everything has to be highly sanitary for operation purposes. I wouldn't be worried about living next door, tbh. There are far worse neighbours...

@NeverDropYourMooncup

It's better than a block of flats or conversion into a HMO/Bail Hostel/Treatment unit for addicts or sex offenders/a Pupil Referral Unit/charismatic church, etc, as it's certainly not likely to have fights, parties, dealing, drinking, antisocial behaviour or hundreds of people attending at once for 5am prayer meetings, evening services, parties, weddings, dedications and two over amplified services lasting hours every Sunday, complete with holiday club, lunch club, preschool and outreach services for the homeless.

You're looking at some building work and then a few people an hour visiting and then leaving, possibly a handful of animals secure inside and likely to be too unwell to make much noise, plus deliveries and collections.

That's not necessarily the choice. You're putting all the worst possible alternatives rather than what's most likely. Residential use would generate a lot fewer cars than a vets' practice.

The only thing that would worry me is the parking situation. Other than that I'd not be bothered.

My vets is on a residential street has been there years, I also know one of the residents who live in that street. Never once have they said its an issue, I'm on that street regularly, never once thought, oooh that's a noisy vet. Infact it's unlikely you'll hear a peep, they'll all be coming round from sedatives. Wouldn't bother me in the slightest, we all need vets!

That's not necessarily the choice. You're putting all the worst possible alternatives rather than what's most likely. Residential use would generate a lot fewer cars than a vets' practice

I'm going by the sorts of houses that are veterinary practices round here - the Victorian ones with a basement level, 2 upper floors and an attic. They're perfect for conversion into those things - and far more lucrative for the seller than merely hoping for a wealthy family to decide that it's the perfect place for their 9 children to grow up in Southwest London. Or, because they also have very large gardens, the most common one now is knock the whole lot down and stick up a block of flats because there's plenty of ground to pave over for car parking.

Another vet here, and the parking and overnight care would be my issue. We have great neighbours who never object to sometimes busy periods with cars parked on the road, and we have a reasonable car park. Not to mention staff cars. You definitely need to check if there will be overnight inpatients or out of hours service provided.

Not worried about parking as we have none - just on street parking.

Then that is even more of a concern. The parking will be horrendous.
It isn't until you live next door to something that involves people visiting, that you realise how many people are either totally unaware or just totally selfish when it comes to leaving their vehicle.

Thanks everyone for your contributions. Really useful. Opening hours, overnight stays and parking are now top of my list.

@TheGallopingGourmet

Be prepared for a battle with this one. If the person submitting the application can prove that jobs will be created by the application being successful it may be granted despite local opposition. I would be looking to gather support from neighbours.

Will speak to neighbours too. Thanks.

I would be concerned about noise, I was at the vets last week whilst my dog had her annual check up and vaccinations. I was probably there for around 30 minutes and there was a dog barking the entire time. As I paid the receptionist said it had been barking all morning - my appt was early afternoon, so that is a lot of barking.

Some years ago I lived on a new estate and the vet had premises which which just used for a few clinics a week, no operations or animals remained on the premises, so I suppose that would be ok.