PLANS to turn farmland between Cairneyhill and Oakley into a dog exercise park have been approved by Fife Council.

Ms Colleen Cooper wanted to create a "peaceful place" off Sunnyside Road for owners to take their pets and work is now underway.

The four-acre site is in the countryside, just to the north of the Forrester Park Golf Resort in Cairneyhill and south of Oakley.

A planning statement on her behalf explained: "The proposal is to create a secure dog exercise area to be booked by individuals who require a private, secure and peaceful space to exercise their dog(s).

"This area will be especially useful to anyone who cannot let their dog off the lead in public areas (including parks), for practising recall in a secure environment or puppy training, or by use by professional dog walkers.

"It is a safe, controlled environment for the dogs and their handlers."

Opening hours for the facility would be 8am to 7pm Sunday to Friday and 8am until 4pm on Saturdays.

There will be a two-metre high post and wire fence around the perimeter of the exercise area, which will have various mobile structures such as tyres and concrete pipe tunnels for dogs.

Vehicle access will be from Sunnyside Road and two car parking spaces will be created.

An appointment system will limit the number of customers and vehicles on site at any one time.

A council report said: "A considerable level of noise is likely to be generated from the proposed development, given the nature of the proposal.

"However, in light of the remote location of the site and the absence of any noise sensitive properties nearby, there is unlikely to be any detrimental impact in regard to noise pollution as a result of the development."