The proposal by Treveth Holdings – Cornwall Council’s own building company – will go before a planning committee for discussion next week due to objections received from the public.
The plan is for a mix of one to three-bedroom bungalows on land at North Hill, Blackwater, near St Agnes. The affordable housing-led scheme on a rural exception site (land deemed appropriate for affordable housing despite not being earmarked previously for development) would be half open market and half affordable.
The proposal has been recommended for approval subject to conditions, but will come before Cornwall Council’s central area planning department for discussion on Tuesday (August 29) due to the objections.
READ NEXT: ‘Insensitive’ bid to build eight four-storey homes overlooking Cornish river
The application site comprises two fields of around 1.64 hectares, situated approximately 350 metres from the crossroads in the centre of Blackwater. There are local amenities nearby including a chapel, the Red Lion Inn, the village green, the Passmore Edwards Literary Institute/Village Hall, shop (with post office) and a primary school.
St Agnes Parish Council supports the application, saying: “Given that the greatest need for housing in the parish is for affordable or private rental, the parish council strongly suggests there is consideration given to changing the six planned open market homes to be sold by Treveth, to either affordable rent or to be retained by Treveth with the other ten market homes for private rental.”
The Homechoice register shows local housing need in the parish stood at 261 households seeking affordable accommodation when the planning report was written. The report states that “given the high level of affordable housing need in the locality and the lack of alternative sites with planning permission to meet this need, there are no known satisfactory alternatives at this time that may result in delivery of affordable homes”.
Opposition comments include:
“The entrance of the site is on a single lane countryside road which would cause congestion and traffic chaos. There have been multiple times when lorries and buses get stuck at this proposed entrance site. North Hill road is already very dangerous for pedestrians and given the number of accident [this] would only make things worse.”
“There is no public footpath which will lead to increased danger for horses riders, ramblers, dog walkers, cyclists anyone that uses this rural lane.”
“The proposed site also will cause flooding to adjacent properties as the land slopes at a gradient.”
“This land has been countryside for hundreds of year and possibly farm land since the 17th century, it has an abundance of wildlife and invertebrates, which are protected by the Wildlife Act 1981.
“This land would benefit from not being trashed by a housing development but would be better utilised as a green-friendly environmental area for future generations. Why not build on the land adjacent to the A30, south of the main road that runs through the village?”