PROPOSALS for nearly 100 residential ‘park homes’ for people over the age of 55 years old, to include a ‘minor revision’ of a public right of way alignment has been refused by Cornwall Council.

Silvro Ltd applied to the local authority seeking permission to site the park homes on an 8.5-hectare site to the south/south-west to Pelynt, in South East Cornwall.

They stated: “The proposals are for residential park homes which are sophisticated homes manufactured in a factory-controlled environment as ‘bungalow style accommodation’ for permanent living.

“Single storey ‘bungalow’ accommodation is rarely provided by volume housebuilders. A lack of single-storey accommodation is a major issue across the UK, meaning a reduced choice for those who either require or prefer this type of accommodation (which includes older people or those with reduced mobility).”

The site has long been a target for development, with planning applications for various developments on the land whether involving caravans or dwellings stretching as far back as 1972.

In recent years, varying schemes for housing have been the subject of both approvals and refusal, with an approved mixed used development approved in 2017 and later refused after attempting to reduce the level of affordable housing from 50 per cent to 25 per cent in the plans and later having an appeal dismissed.

Pelynt Parish Council objected to the plans, stating it felt it was inappropriate for the land and the type of the development, while there was also an objection from the Public Rights of Way team on the grounds that no application for a diversion order had been submitted.

There were also 19 objections from nearby residents, whose objections ranged from the ‘eyesore’ they perceived the proposals to be to the impact it would have on amenities.

Refusing the application, Cornwall Council told the applicant: “The proposed development is not affordable housing led, providing no affordable housing, and the unsympathetic, regimented, linear layout, and identical form of all the units mean the proposal fails to be appropriate in scale, character and appearance. It therefore follows that the scheme is an unjustified expansion of open market, residential development into the open countryside which would result in adverse impacts to the local landscape. The poor design of the scheme would also result in adverse impacts to the character and appearance of the area and the setting of village of Pelynt.

“The scheme is not well designed, does not provide an appropriate housing mix, and does not provide any affordable housing which has been designed to meet local needs. The benefits of the scheme do not outweigh the adverse impacts which have been identified and therefore cannot be considered as sustainable development.”

A second reason for refusal was cited as thus: “In the absence of a completed Section 106 Planning Obligation by Agreement to secure the provision of affordable housing, open space and health contributions, the submitted application fails to accord with policies 9 and 28 of the Cornwall Local Plan Strategic Policies 2010-2030. The application would thereby fail to mitigate its impacts on local infrastructure.”