BUNTINGFORD residents are taking their fight against Rottweiler kennels being built at a house near their homes to East Herts District Council. Concerned people have ­collected a petition of 77 signatures objecting to the construction of 15 kennels at the

BUNTINGFORD residents are taking their fight against Rottweiler kennels being built at a house near their homes to East Herts District Council.

Concerned people have ­collected a petition of 77 signatures objecting to the construction of 15 kennels at the property in Sunnyhill.

This will be presented to councillors at the district council meeting set to take place next Thursday.

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: "We are hoping to get as many people as possible along to the meeting to support the petition."

The petition outlines the main reasons behind the opposition to the plans.

These include worries about health and safety, reduction in value of properties in Sunnyhill and the surrounding streets, and concerns about the welfare of the dogs themselves.

Sean Dunn, who is constructing the kennels, told The Crow last month that they will house his two pet Rottweiler's, and that he has no plans to breed dogs on the site.

This week a planning application was submitted for a fence which would screen off the kennels from the rest of the garden.

The resident added: "If they are family pets it seems strange that they would want to fence the kennels off so nobody can see the dogs."

North East Herts MP Oliver Heald visited Sunnyhill last week to speak to residents.

He said: "It is obviously very worrying that this sort of activity is being planned in what is very much a domestic setting.

"It is only a small back garden after all.

"It's not clear why 15 small kennels are needed here on this site. You wonder if some sort of commercial enterprise is being planned."

Mr Heald said he would be contacting East Herts District Council about the matter.

He said: "I shall be making a strong representation to East Herts on behalf of the residents, because this is not the right place for this sort of kennels.

"It would be much more suited to a site somewhere in the ­countryside.