Permission to build in Cornish hamlet refused

Planning permission has been refused for seven houses to be built in a hamlet on Cornwall's north coast.

The houses would have been built in a field currently used for horses in Rose, between Perranporth and Goonhavern.

A meeting of Cornwall Council’s central sub-area planning committee heard it was likely four of the houses would have been classified as affordable with three sold on the open market.

The committee blocked the application on the grounds the housing would cause harm to the landscape and lead to the loss of high quality and versatile land.

Residents also voiced concerns over the lack of facilities in the area to cope with additional housing.

Greg Spray spoke on behalf of concerned residents, a number of whom were present at the meeting.

He said: “This land is not infill, it’s not brownfield, it is listed by Natural England as Grade 3a good quality agricultural land and has been used for many generations as farming land up until 2009.

"Since then it was sold to the current owners on the proviso it would only be used for horses."

Cornwall Council’s highways officer objected to the scheme as did Perranzabuloe Parish Council, but the planning officer for the application recommended councillors granted consent.

The officer argued the location of the development adjacent to a settlement of new houses worked in its favour, the benefit of the affordable housing outweighed harm to the character of the area and they considered the amount of development was proportionate to the size of the area.

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