A COUNCIL'S decision to turn down a cattery application has been dismissed as nitpicking by a councillor.

The building, at North Lodge, Amersham Road, was to house 12 cats, but the council voted nine to five against the plan last Wednesday.

Cllr Alistair Dyer, who supported the scheme, said: "I had a high regard for the district council when they took on the heavyweights of Heathrow, Tesco, and Pinewood Studios. But they must feel they have scored a resounding victory over 12 cats.

"There is a tatty mobile home on that site at the moment and this cattery would have been a very pleasant timber structure.

The Willow Cattery, which runs a cattery in Coleshill, wanted to build a new home for cats at North Lodge. The council had received complaints from residents concerned about traffic and increased commercial activity. A spokesman said the plan was rejected because it contravened Green Belt policy.

Applicant Rita Holland, who plans to lodge an appeal, said: "All our clients are absolutely devastated by this decision and I just can't understand how they could refuse it. We had an identical building in Coleshill, which was an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Green Belt land, but we never had any problems there." We will now have to go to appeal and hope that the council will reverse their decision."

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