K9 Rehab, a valuable, rare and sought after community service is at risk due to a handful of blinkered Councillors regarding what most would see as a minor planning issue.

K9 Rehab offer dog training and rehabilitation ranging from obedience, agility and tracking to specialist personal protection and rehabilitation work.

We are often able to turn around dogs with extreme issues and histories and work with a number of services including the local constabulary and rescue organisations. However, the majority of our work is with the general public and demand is high and growing – partly, at the moment, due to many inexperienced owners that have decided to get a dog during lockdown needing help.

This sort of service in not available commonly and K9 Rehab's location in Reedley Hallows, East Lancashire makes it the only available place for much of what we offer for tens of thousands of dog owners - the next nearest facilities are in Doncaster and Shropshire, at least a 4 hour round trip.

The planning application has its final chance at Pendle Borough Council's Policy and Resources Committee on 22nd Sept having been passed again, unanimously this time, by the Nelson, Brierfield and Reedley Area Committee last week.

Should it be opposed for no reason of any note again, and fail to pass, the only route left open will be a costly and protracted legal appeal.

Detail
The problem is that many of the dogs require overnight supervision and care, sometimes medical care and a few local councillors are opposing the wish to erect a very modest single storey dwelling to facilitate this on a permanent basis.
This accommodation, comprising only 4 rooms, would be in keeping with existing local architecture and the barn it is adjacent to and would have a foot print of just 6 x 12 meters (about the same footprint of a '2 up, 2 down' terraced house.)
The vast majority of the few residents in relatively close proximity to K9 Rehab support our cause and many have attended council meetings to speak in favour of the plans. Further there have been in the region of 100 letters of support lodged with the council (most of which they have failed to publish.)

You can see more about K9 Rehab here, K9 Rehab - FB Page please consider showing your support by signing the petition and sharing it with your friends.
You can also send an e-mail in support of the application to the council at Planning@pendle.gov.uk - If you do, please add a comment when signing  the petition so we can try to keep track; as this is a further issue as you will have read above.