Plans for new homes near Saltash in Cornwall rejected

An application to build eight new homes on land off Vollards Lane in Hatt, near Saltash, was refused planning permission by Cornwall Council’s east sub-area planning committee.

Under the proposals half of the properties would have been affordable with four affordable bungalows and four open market homes.

Planning officers had recommended that the application be approved as long as the applicants gave a commitment to providing the affordable homes as well as a financial contribution for education and open space.

Debbie Newcombe, planning agent for the applicant, said that the developers had agreed to those conditions.

She said that the development would “provide much needed affordable housing” for the local area.

Botus Fleming Parish Council had objected to the application saying that it was not sustainable and would not meet the requirements of the environment.

The site off Vollards Lane in Hatt. Picture: Google

Local Cornwall councillor Jesse Foot had also objected to the plans and said that it would “result in some of the best and most versatile farmland” being lost.

He said: “The benefits do not outweigh the harm and the impact on the environment would be negative.”

READ NEXT: Changes to agricultural policy after Brexit meet mixed reviews

Cllr Foot said that Cornwall Council had previously deemed the village to be an unsustainable location for development due to the lack of local facilities.

He said that the village pub had closed and there were no facilities for education, employment or shopping.

Cllr Foot was also concerned that the nearest school was more than three miles away and if families moved into the new homes they would have to pay for school transport.

Planning officers had indicated that the development would be on a rural exception site which allows development in such a location if it was providing affordable homes to meet local need.

However committee member Andrew Long said he felt the plans did not comply with the policy as he did not consider the homes to be an equal 50/50 split between open market and affordable.

He said that while the number of homes was equal the number of bedrooms provided was outweighed by the open market homes – the affordable homes would have two bedrooms each while two of the open market homes would be two-bedroom properties and two would have three bedrooms.

Cllr Long said: “Policy nine (regarding rural exception sites) sites have to have 50 per cent equality throughout – providing less accommodation for affordable would not be policy nine compliant.”

John Fitter was concerned about the proposed layout of the development saying that the affordable homes would be located next to the road while the open market properties were away from the road.

He said that he felt that the affordable homes should have been “pepper potted” across the site and mixed with the open market homes.

Derek Holley said that he had “major concerns” about the application both about the affordable housing and also the distance the site is from the village itself.

He said: “I am very doubtful that this is properly attached to the existing settlement. In policy nine it says that they have to be well related to the physical form of the settlement. This field is quite separate to that.”

Cllr Holley proposed that the application be refused and was seconded by Cllr Long.

The committee voted to refuse planning permission with 13 votes in favour and two against.