A CREMATORIUM for pets will not be added to kennels in Worcestershire.

The owner of Brookend Kennels in Stocks Lane, Leigh Sinton, Malvern, had hoped to offer an extra service to incinerate household pets such as cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters and birds as an aside to his business.

But the county’s planning and regulatory committee threw that application out saying it was inappropriate for the area.

At Tuesday’s meeting at County Hall, Roger Kordas, who has lived in Stocks Lane for 13 years, said a pet crematorium and incinerator would have a detrimental impact on all residents living nearby.

“This development is totally unsuitable for the area,” he said. “It would be unfair to approve the application simply because it affects a small number of residents.”

Applicant Les Childs said there are about 2,600 pet crematoriums across the country. He argued many of those operate in rural locations and in a similar way to what he was proposing. Questions were asked about whether this would be the only facility of its kind in the county but the meeting was told there is already one in Dunhampton, near Ombersley.

The owners of that business sent an e-mail expressing their concern to the committee about whether the owner had properly investigated how to get rid of wastage.

Concerns were also raised about how many deliveries would be made to the business every week. Mr Childs said that was unknown at this stage because he did not know how many people, including the prospect of any veterinary practices affiliating with him, would use the service. However, he said customers who currently use the kennels, which have been operating for about five years and are made up of 20 cat pens and 30 dog kennels, were behind him. “Not one has objected,” he said.

But Councillor Clive Smith, who represents the Malvern Link ward, said he thought the application to change the use of part of the kennels should be refused.

“I think the crux of the matter is that this sort of facility should be on an industrial estate,” he said.

A majority 11 members of the committee voted in favour of its refusal on the grounds that it was in an unacceptable location and that development in open countryside would contravene planning policy.

Speaking after the meeting Mr Childs said: “I didn’t expect anything different, to be honest, but I shall appeal.”