AN animal boarding business which looks after peoples' pets while they are away from home could be demolished to make way for an industrial development.

An application to replace Sirocoby Boarding Kennels in Wickford with a mixed use development of buildings for retail, storage and industrial processes will be considered by Basildon Borough Council next week.

But a council report has raised concerns about the impact of the proposals on the kennels' green belt location and the effect on neighbours.

Officers have recommended the application be refused.

A section of the report reads: "The application represents an inappropriate form of development within the Green Belt which would have a significant impact upon openness and would conflict with the purposes of including land within it.

"The proposal would be detrimental to the amenities of neighbouring occupiers and would result in an inappropriate urbanisation and intensification of the site, detrimental to the locality."

The applicant is seeking permission for change of use from animal boarding business to mixed use.

Located at the head of the Newhouse Avenue cul-de-sac, the development would include two new buildings for the purposes of storage and industrial processes.

The existing kennels, cattery buildings, storage and greenhouse would be demolished and the current office would become a shop, according to the report.

20 car parking spaces are proposed to be retained, as well as a cycle parking area next to the main building.

Planning permission for the kennels was given in 1975, the report continues.

The application has received seven representations from neighbours, three in support and four against.

According to the report, the objections are on the grounds of harm to the green belt, noise, HGV traffic on Newhouse Avenue, which is a small single carriage, private and unadopted road, risk of damage to neighbours' properties and an increased risk of flooding.

Environmental Health Services, which was consulted by the council, also raised concerns potentially noisy industrial uses which could be harmful to neighbours of the site.

The Planning Committee will meet on Wednesday, 9 February to debate and vote on the application which can be seen in full via this link.