A farmer has launched an appeal against a decision to refuse planning permission for a house at a prominent beauty spot.

Chris Wilton had applied for planning permission to build a two-storey family home on land on the Rame Peninsula, writes Richard Whitehouse, Local Democracy Reporter.

Cornwall Council had previously granted permission for the home in 2020 but objectors successfully took the permission to judicial review.

A High Court judge quashed the permission stating that Cornwall Council’s planning committee had not followed the correct process.

After that Mr Wilton resubmitted his plans but when they went to committee permission was refused with a close vote of five to four.

READ MORE: Decision time (again) on planning for Rame Head farmer after quashed by High Court

Now Mr Wilton has launched an appeal against that decision claiming that there is a functional need for the new home.

The farmer has previously stated that his family have farmed the land for more than 100 years and that he needs the new property so he can continue his work.

A farmhouse at the site is currently used by his parents and Mr Wilton now has a family of his own and says it is not suitable for them all to live there.

As a result he proposed building a new property which would have to be occupied by an agricultural worker connected to the farm. However objectors said that the site is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

When refusing permission councillors said that the house due to its “siting, scale, materials and design” would create “a prominent and incongruous addition to the coastal plateau that will harm the landscape and distinctive scenic beauty of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Heritage Coast”.

READ MORE: Planning permission granted to farmer on Rame Head is quashed by High Court

In an appeal statement Mr Wilton’s representatives say that the application does accord with planning policy and is supported by material considerations so should be granted permission.

The appeal says that the new home would be lower than the height of the nearby cottages and that there are “negligible views” of the site from long distance. It states that short distance views would take in other existing buildings.

It also says that “obtaining accommodation outside the AONB is not a reasonable option” and that due to land ownership other sites in the AONB are not available, would not be in a suitable location and would still be in the AONB.

The appeal documents state that the site is on a farm holding next to existing residential development and is in a suitable location for farm operations.