MEMBERS of a town council planning committee expressed frustration at being ‘put in a corner’ by Cornwall Council over plans for a 71-bed extra care facility for over 55s on land near to the Bodmin Beacon nature reserve.

A resident asked why other fields owned by Cornwall Council were not up for consideration, to which representatives stated that it was due to the planting of trees as part of the ‘Forest for Cornwall’ initiative.

It was confirmed that Cornwall Council were acting as a ‘promoter’ for the scheme, developing the proposals to go forward to a planning application on their land which, upon it being granted, would then be offered to a private developer at a discounted rate to develop.

The developer would then fund the construction of the building, with the possibility of grant funding from Homes England subsidising the build, which would then be owned by the private company, likely to be a ‘social housing’ type provider, with all the properties for sale or rent being subject to an affordable home tenure by covenant.

Cllr Jeremy Cooper asked if Cornwall Council had investigated repurposing vacant buildings in the town centre for the scheme, adding: “It would give better opportunities for community cohesion and provide easier routes in to the town centre.”

In response, it was stated that the development needed to be that size to be viable to developers and this would be difficult to achieve in the town centre.

Cllr Phil Cooper said: “From my perspective, Cornwall Council missed a big opportunity to put a scheme like this on the old St Lawrence’s site where Treveth have been building all of those houses. That would have been the perfect location for it, with the increase in facilities at the hospital, it would have been so much better with traffic much easier to manage. I guess that’s just the way it is, Cornwall Council have chosen to develop the site using other routes.”

Cllr Pete Skea aired concerns that the site, closer to the outskirts of the town than it is the centre may lead to the residents living there being more isolated than they would be in a more central location.

Councillors said that the site being proposed was not suitable, with some observing that they were being put into an ‘impossible position’ by Cornwall Council.

Cllr Jeremy Cooper said: “The Willow report, a report commissioned by Cornwall Council specifically stipulates that the modernisation of vacant buildings should be considered for this type of housing in the first instance. At the previous meeting where we were asked for feedback, we suggested other sites that may be more suitable, asked if you’d considered Victoria Square, which has land under Cornwall Council’s ownership, or at the site of Carnewater doctors surgery when that’s vacated and the adjacent factory shop, we’ve made the point previously that we do not feel this development is appropriately located or that there will be enough control, such as occupancy, particularly in the control of a commercial entity.

“The issue for me is that Cornwall Council have developed two large housing estates at Dunmere. Treveth, the council’s own housebuilding company have developed St Lawrence’s and its not as if the need for extra care housing is anything new, the Willow Report came out several years ago while the housebuilding at Dunmere is still ongoing. This sort of scheme would have been absolutely perfect there, but it would seem those in charge at the council did not have the benefit of foresight so we’re left with this proposal or nothing.”

“As a council, we’re being put into an impossible position because there’s absolutely no doubt that this sort of scheme is needed, and we want it in Bodmin, but we feel this is absolutely not the location it should be built in. It feels like we’ve been presented with an ultimatum that if we don’t like this scheme, there won’t be anything at all here.”

In response, the representatives from Cornwall Council stated: “At the moment this is the only option, other sites might come along which might be appropriate but at this moment of time, this is all we’ve got that fits the criteria required to make it viable and the demand for these types of properties is there now. I wouldn’t say we’re giving Bodmin Town Council an ultimatum, further down the line something might become available, who knows what's around the corner?”

Councillors went onto discuss the scheme in more detail, with those present trying to weigh up the balance of wanting such a scheme in Bodmin, but not comfortable with the location of the scheme.

It was eventually proposed by Cllr Liz Ahearn, the mayor of Bodmin that the council opt to not support the proposals based on the location, while making clear that the committee were supportive of the concept of extra care housing in the town.

For the full story, pick up a copy of this week’s Cornish and Devon Post or Cornish Times.