A family has been given permission to build a new home although the proposals saw councillors divided on what should be classed a settlement.

Lucy Chapman had applied for permission to build a four-bedroom contemporary home on land at Polpever, near Duloe.

Cornwall Council’s planning officers had recommended that the application should be refused as they did not consider Polpever to be a settlement and so the site was considered to be in open countryside.

The application had been supported by both Duloe Parish Council and local Cornwall councillor Jane Pascoe who said that they both considered Polpever to be a settlement and that the new home would be rounding off of that settlement.

Members of the east sub-area planning committee heard that Polpever has just five residential properties and planning officers explained that they did not consider it to be a settlement. They said that the “limited benefits” of the plans did not outweigh the harm which could be caused to the rural setting of the site.

Ms Chapman said that in drawing up her plans she had consulted with local residents and the parish council to get their support. She said that she did consider it to be a settlement and highlighted that all properties in Polpever are full-time residences with no second or holiday homes.

She said that the land was considered to be previously developed as her family had used it as a building yard and said that it had been in their ownership for a number of years.

Ms Chapman said that she works for the holiday cottage business and that being able to live in Polpever would mean that she could walk to work. She added that her husband would also work from home 50 per cent of the time.

She explained that her family was currently living separately in two homes – one in Liskeard, one in Looe – and said that if they could build their new home both other properties would be sold and would add to the homes available for purchase locally.

Cllr Pascoe said that Polpever was a “medieval settlement” and was on maps dating back to 1882. She highlighted the need for Ms Chapman to be close to her work and said it would be better to allow that than to encourage people to drive.

Committee member Andrew Long said that he was “struggling” with the application and said that just because a location was on a map should not be seen as enough to consider it to be a settlement. He said that there were no road signs leading to Polpever and no signs indicating where it is located. He considered it to be a farmstead which had developed.

He added: “If we approve this application, you open the door for planning on every single farm in every single location in Cornwall because it is on a map.”

John Fitter agreed and said that he was concerned about the potential harm to the countryside and said that “there are too many unanswered questions” for him to support the plans.

However, Adrian Parsons said that he considered that the application should be supported as it would provide a local family with a home and would comply with planning policy. A proposal to approve the application was carried with six votes in favour and four against.