Planning permission has been granted allowing an army barracks to be relocated from Germany to England.

Approval was allowed for 326 new specialist dog training facilities, a veterinary clinic and squadron headquarter offices to be developed at St George's Barracks in North Luffenham.

The development will enable the 1st Military Working Dog Regiment (1MWD Regt) to relocate by the end of 2017.

The move is part of the Army Basing Programme, which will see more than 5,000 British army personnel plus their families return from Germany to various UK locations this year.

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DIO Project Manager, Carl Southern, said: "This is an important milestone in getting the barracks ready for 1MWD Regt.

"Our aim is to provide the specialist facilities the working dogs and their handlers need to live, work and train at their new home, and ensure any noise impact on the local community is minimal.

"Measures to ensure this important requirement include constructing the kennels within a sound reducing enclosure, effectively a building within a building, with carefully designed openings that limit noise emissions to agreed levels."

Commanding Officer 1st Military Working Dog Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Foreman, said: "With planning permission now approved, the Regiment is a vital step closer to occupying what will truly be world class facilities."

Plans were submitted to Rutland County Council by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO).

Planning permission has been granted subject to a number of conditions. These include a requirement to provide evidence that noise reduction measures are effective before the kennels are occupied.

(LM)