PENWORTHAM is to get its own animal hospital after councillors backed plans for a huge vets practice in the town.

White and Baxter's Veterinary Surgeons is moving from its existing premises in Pope Lane to a new site further up the road, which will include state-of-art facilities for poorly pets.

The two-storey building will include several private consultation rooms and new operating theatres.

Development services sub-committee members agreed that the new centre would be a great boost to the area.

It will be built on rough ground at a site which has been allowed to deteriorate for several years.

The new surgery will also ease parking problems outside the existing vets near to the junction with Marshall Brow, Penwortham. Several complaints were received - including one from a couple who produced photographs of themselves enjoying a meal in their garden during the summer.

They said the new building would reduce the amount sunlight allowed into their garden.

And Mayor Jim Owen said that he wants dog bins erected nearby.

He said: "In my experience, there always seems to be a problem with dog fouling close to veterinary surgeries.

"This proposal is a wonderful idea but we could eliminate the problem of dog muck before it has started by insisting that dog bins are erected near by so people with dogs have no excuse."

Council chiefs said they would investigate his idea.

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