A WILLITON business is blaming local planners for kicking its hopes of expanding its services into touch.

Wendy Berry set up Williton Pet Care seven years ago and currently operates from a shop in Fore Street and a unit on the village's Roughmoor Estate.

But last year she decided it was too costly to run the business from separate sites and began investigating the possibility of consolidating into four units at Roughmoor previously occupied by Quantock Plastics.

"I knew I would need a change of use for the units but the initial advice I was given by West Somerset Council was that would not be a problem," said Mrs Berry.

"In addition to the bulk goods that I store and sell from my current unit at Roughmoor, I wanted to move the shop operation down there and introduce a grooming area, doggy day care and dog training classes."

Mrs Berry submitted a planning application shortly before Christmas, having already made the decision that no matter what the outcome, the shop would close in March.

But last week she was told that her application had been refused on the grounds that granting a retail use on the units would encourage shoppers out of the centre of Williton and also reduce the number of light industrial units in the village.

In its decision the council said that as the authority did not have an up-to-date development plan reflecting the relevant policy, Mrs Berry should have submitted impact and sequential assessments, which would have demonstrated the effect of relocating the shop and whether there was anywhere in the centre of the village that she could have combined the operation.

It also raised concerns about adequate parking spaces at Roughmoor - although there is no parking outside the Fore Street shop.

"The council knows full well that there are no alternative premises in the village centre where I could combine all the aspects of the business and the additional services that I want to offer and for which there is a demand," said Mrs Berry.

"I feel really cross about this as there is already a carpet shop and a computer business at Roughmoor, who are both retail.

"This has already cost me around £2,000 with the planning fees and because I had to employ an agent to negotiate a lease for the units I hoped to move into.

"The council has told me I should now get a consultant to provide the evidence they are looking for but I can't afford to spend any more.

"The shop is closing anyway but I just feel annoyed and disappointed that I won't be able to expand the business as I had hoped.

"It is the council's attitude to this that I am really fed up about because they are just stopping my business from growing."

Stacey Beaumont, West Somerset Council's media and public relations officer, said Mrs Berry had been advised that she needed to supply additional information but had not done so.

She said: "The applicant was advised that certain important information was required to accompany the planning application in order for the council to decide whether or not the proposal complies with current local and national planning policy on retail development.

"The need for this information applies equally to proposals for private or publicly owned units.

"However, in this case the supporting information was not submitted with the application meaning that the council had no option other than to refuse the application.

"If the applicant wishes to submit a revised application with the necessary information to support the proposal, this will be considered afresh.

"The decision notice which gives the reasons for refusal can be found on the council's website at http://www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk,&quot">www.westsomersetonline.gov.uk," she said.

Photo: Steve Guscott