A HOT food and drink takeaway has been given permission to open in a rural area popular with walkers.

Bolton Council’s planning department has agreed to plans for an annex of Rivington Pike Cottage on Georges Lane, Horwich, to change its use from dog boarding kennels to a dog grooming parlour.

The location is a popular route for walkers accessing the Pike, the West Pennine moors and Winter Hill.

The plans also allow applicants Dudley Waggins Ltd to use of the building as a hot food and drink takeaway together with alterations to form a new entrance.

A report from planning officers considered the impact of the plans.

It stated: “The application relates to an existing building which has been previously registered and used as boarding dog kennels.

“The building is an annex adjacent Rivington Pike Cottage and is surrounded by open countryside, there are no neighbouring properties.

“The building and the new signage proposed front onto Georges Lane. The site is within the green belt but not within a conservation area.

“Georges Lane is wide at this section and is in a poor state of repair from pot holes, given that there are no neighbouring uses the majority of passing traffic is farming related or walkers and ramblers.

“The size of the business premise at site area of 10 square metres is unlikely to generate considerable business, there are no employees proposed.”

The opening hours were proposed as between 9am and 5pm Monday to Sunday including Bank Holidays.

The applicants have been told that as the line of public right of way Horwich 005 leads adjacent to the application site to safeguard the uninterrupted use of the public right of way during works and use thereafter.

The report concluded that ‘It is considered that the proposed change of use complies with core strategy policies and that the proposed change of use and elevational alterations comply with local and national planning policy.”

They added that approval was  therefore recommended.