EACH week, hundreds of planning applications come before Cornwall Council’s planning department, seeking to win approval for various plans right across the Duchy.

These plans can comprise of a number of different reasonings– ranging from permission to replace windows or listed building consent ranging up to large house building developments or changing of use of a building, for instance, from an office to a café, or flats.

Within this large and often complex system, there are a number of formats from which planning advice and approval can be sought.

These range from full applications where all the details which comprise a proposed development or work to a building are submitted, to outline applications, where further details are yet to be confirmed, for example, an outline application with reserved matters for appearance may not confirm the final proposed development but rather seek permission in principle.

An example of this is one for an outline permission for 20 dwellings on land with reserved matters for appearance and scale; the reserved matters would require further permission later for their inclusion.

Other types of applications include pre-application advice requests, where would-be developers submit often outline proposals to a local authority to ascertain whether it is likely to gain support or not prior to submitting a planning application.

The vast majority of applications are decided by planning officers employed by a local authority under ‘delegated powers’, meaning they do so on behalf of their employer, however, some applications are ‘called in’ by local councillors to be discussed at an area’s strategic planning committee meeting, meaning the final decision rests with a committee of councillors.

THE conversion of a former branch of Lloyds Bank into a wine bar and residential unit in Looe has been approved by Cornwall Council.

Mr and Mrs O’Neill submitted the application for the former branch on Fore Street, East Looe.

It was approved subject to an additional condition, namely: “The residential unit hereby approved shall not be occupied otherwise than by a person as his or her only or Principal Home. For the avoidance of doubt the dwelling shall not be occupied as a second home or holiday letting accommodation.

“The Occupant will supply to the Local Planning Authority (within 14 days of the Local Planning Authority's written request to do so) such information as the Authority may reasonably require in order to determine whether this condition is being complied with.”

A RECENTLY submitted planning application could see a new pharmacy for Bodmin become one step closer to reality – however, neighbours have objected to the proposal.

Bann’s Pharmacy Ltd, operators of five pharmacies in Cornwall, recently confirmed that it was seeking to open a new branch in Bodmin in order to fill the void left since the departure of the Boots branch on Bell Lane and the Asda in-store pharmacy on Launceston Road.

Those closures have left Bodmin, a town with a population of 16,440 in the 2021 census, a figure which is set to grow rapidly amid ongoing proposals for large housing estates at Halgavor Moor and Callywith, with only two pharmacies to compliment the Bosvena Health GP surgery in the form of a branch of Boots on Fore Street and Day Lewis on the junction of Bell Lane and Dennison Road. It would, therefore if approved be the first facility of its kind in the west of Bodmin, a primarily residential area.

In a planning application submitted to Cornwall Council, Banns Pharmacy confirmed it was seeking to open a ‘temporary’ pharmacy facility comprising of a portacabin type building of 49 metres squared in size on undeveloped in-fill land between two residential properties on Queen’s Crescent in the west of the town with six parking spaces to the front of it.

The proposal has been met by objections from residents living nearby, primarily based on concerns over the impact of increased traffic on their housing estate, or in one instance, a fear over an increase in ‘undesirables’.

In the planning application, Laurence Associates, the agent submitting the application on behalf of Bann’s Pharmacy, told Cornwall Council: “The site is positioned within a residential area within the town of Bodmin. The site is surrounded on all four compass points by residential development, comprising a mix of single storey and two storey dwellings.

“The site comprises aggregate and weed control fabric and is accessed via Queens Crescent. The site has a timber fence along the north and eastern boundaries, with a wire fence along the western boundary. The site adjoins Queens Crescent to the south. The site is accessed by road, public footpaths/pavement and there is a bus stop approximately 28m to the west of the site.”

In the planning application, it was confirmed that it is the intention of the pharmacy to be restricted in its opening hours to 9am until 5.30pm on Monday to Friday, and 9am until 1pm on Saturdays, adding that it was happy for this to be secured by way of a condition if planning permission was granted.

The planning agent added: “The pharmacy will comprise a light grey metal prefabricated portacabin, with white metal windows with metal roller shutters and metal balustrading.

“The development would make use of a vacant site within a sustainable location, within walking distance from a large number of surrounding residencies and is therefore well integrated into the existing town. The proposal intends to employ three full time staff. The proposal would therefore provide economic benefits through the provision of jobs which would be beneficial to the local community.

“Owing to the sustainability of the site, there is potential for workers to travel sustainably to the site, though onsite parking will also be provided. The proposal would make the services provided by the pharmacy more accessible to local residents, reducing the distance required to travel to collect a prescription.

Adding that the small scale of the pharmacy would, in the view of the applicant not cause a disruption to residents, and pointing out that there are other amenities in the vicinity of a non-residential nature, namely two ‘corner shops’, they added: “Owing to the siting and scale of the pharmacy, the development would not result in an unreasonable impact with regard to overbearing, overshadowing or overlooking.

“The pharmacy would be small in scale and would not have a large number of visitors at any one time. The services provided by the pharmacy would not result in a high level of noise beyond which would reasonably be considered acceptable within a residential area.”

Of the 13 objections presently sent in by residents thus far, most acknowledge that Bodmin has a need for a pharmacy but argue that a primarily residential area isn’t, in their view the right place for one.

Several added that they thought the town centre was a more suitable location for a pharmacy. One of the objections stated: “I object to this planning application. It will be in area where vulnerable people live and there enough undesirables in this area without them hanging around family homes and homes for the elderly. On top of that it is very unsuitable for parking in that area.

“There are carers attending the elderly constantly as well as a house further down that runs a care service from it already bringing more traffic in. It would make surrounding roads through estates untenable. In all not a suitable position. Making it unsafe for the elderly with more traffic or young children making their way to home school or park.”

The plans are viewable under reference PA25/00974.

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