PLANNING officers from Thurrock Council have thrown out a bid by operators of a boarding kennels and stables on the outskirts of Chadwell St Mary to get planning permission for two mobile homes on the site.

The owners of South View Board Kennels and Stables argued that as the two units have been on the site for more than ten years, they automatically have the right to remain there.

However, officers from the council have rejected the evidence put forward and say they are not convinced about the validity of the claim and they suggest that some of the documents submitted cannot be verified. They say some statements, for instance about a previous resident of one of the units being rehoused by the council, are false.

The council says: "This claim has been investigated and the housing team could find no person who had been rehoused from this site."

Rejecting the overall application - which means the two units could have to be removed, the council says: "The applicant has only provided very limited information and this is not enough evidence to verify the use applied for. It does not show evidence of continuous use for residential dwelling purposes for a period in excess of ten years.

"Accordingly, on the balance of probabilities, at this time the, applicant has failed to demonstrate that there has been residential use of site and stationing of two mobile homes for over 10 years."