Plans to expand a guide dog training centre on Banbury Road to create a "national campus for both training and breeding" have been given the green light, two years after they were first revealed.

Warwick District Council has granted planning permission for a new single-storey training centre to be built at Guide Dogs for the Blind Association' national breeding facility in Bishop's Tachbrook.

The new training centre will be built on a parcel of land called the Tollgate which was used for training by the charity until the new centre was built in 2010.

The application says the association wants the centre to "be overlaid with an 'enhanced visitor experience', with improved facilities, telling the story of the 'life journey of a guide dog'".

"The proposals will enable the more efficient running of the charity by relocating the existing training facilities from Leamington Spa [on Warwick New Road] to one site thereby resulting in a more cohesive and effective training facility which is an important step to enhancing GDBA's existing operation," it added.

The charity wants to create a 'national campus for both training and breeding' (image via planning application)

Plans show the new centre will include indoor and outdoor training areas, meeting rooms and 'dog day care' rooms.

A further 86 car parking spaces will also be built. No dogs would be kept in the training facility overnight.

"There is an aspiration that Guide Dogs' sites allow for opportunities for training of dogs in as real-life scenarios as possible," the application added. 

"The existing external dog training facilities at the northern corner of the site will be fully utilised and with additional footpath connections to create circulatory routes will aid this training experience."

Both Bishop's Tachbrook Parish Council and former council leader Cllr Andrew Day have submitted notices of support to the plans.

Signing off on the application, a council report said: "The proposal would provide a purpose-built guide dog training centre for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (GDBA) to replace their existing outdated facilities at Leamington Spa.

"The proposal would consolidate the GDBA's activities to form a modern campus type development combining the training centre with the National Breeding Centre.

"The proposals would help to support employment within the district.

"The proposed design would sit sympathetically within this rural location and would not result in any significant harm to the visual amenity or character of the area.

"The development would not result in any unacceptable residential amenity, highway safety, flooding/drainage impacts and is acceptable in all other regards."

See the application here.