Animal charity faces closure after plans for kennels refused

In October last year, Pennine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) submitted an application to convert a vacant stable block into kennels and to build a separate cattery on Green Belt land in Delph which it has bought.

The animal rescue service said in its application it has "exhausted" all other potential premises and that it "desperately needs" to use the land as it has "nowhere else to go". 

The empty stables and shipping container on land in Delph (Image: MacMarshalls Rural Chartered Surveyors and Planning Consultants)

However, the proposal was formally refused by the council on Friday, January 26, on the grounds that the kennels and cattery would represent an "inappropriate development within the Green Belt".

"It's my life's work"

PAWS was set up in 2007 in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, by Sue Curran, who started fostering dogs in her home.

Since then, PAWS has rescued, rehomed and rehabilitated 1,500 cats and dogs in areas including Burnley, Halifax, Rochdale and, more recently, Saddleworth and Oldham.

Ms Curran previously told The Oldham Times: "It's my life's work, I live with the animals.

"I don't know what I'd do without it."

PAWS proposed having a separate cattery unit (Image: Pennine Animal Welfare Society)

In January 2022, the landlord issued PAWS with a notice ending their tenancy at their previous base, with the rescue service eventually moving out at the end of July last year.

Since then, PAWS has not been in operation, with animals currently in boarding kennels as it waits to be given planning permission.

This led PAWS to set their sights on the land with the existing breezeblock building based off of Hill Top Lane and Badger Edge Lane in Saddleworth.

PAWS rescues and rehomes all kinds of dogs (Image: Pennine Animal Welfare Society)

Ms Curran said PAWS has been looking for a new home for three years and that the land near Delph is the only place they have found which would suit the rescue service.

However, these plans have now been scuppered due to the impact the plans would have on the Green Belt.

Plans deemed "inappropriate"

In an application report prepared by planning officer Emma Breheny, she concluded: "The proposed development would represent inappropriate development within the Green Belt, as it would impact the openness of the Green Belt and it has not been demonstrated that very special circumstances exist which would outweigh the harm caused."

Ms Breheny pointed to the fact a permanent residence was proposed to be built, which she said was inappropriate as she felt there was no justification, particularly given the applicant did not live on the site of PAWS' previous home.

She also said there is no electricity or drinking water at the site and the plot of land was unsuitable for a soakaway, which is a pit filled with rubble or hard core that helps water drain slowly into the soil around it.

Ms Breheny recommended the proposal be refused and on Friday, this decision was formally made.

The application received a mixed reaction amongst the public, with more than a dozen people openly supporting the proposal in comments left on the application online.

However, there were concerns raised by people who live in the area, particularly on the issue of access, with residents feeling the roads around the site would not be appropriate to serve an animal charity.

Ms Curran had previously told The Oldham Times: "I hate to think what would happen if planning was refused, it would be the end of PAWS, let's face it."

PAWS has been approached for comment.