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 siting of a shepherd’s hut for the use of ancillary use and holiday letting in a rural location near Bugle has been approved by Cornwall Council’s planning department.

The application was made by Mr Jones and concerns the property of Kerrow Lodge, Kerrow Moor, Bugle.

He told Cornwall Council: “The area of land attached to the dwelling Kerrow Lodge is approximately one hectare, most of this apart from the dwelling and garden area is wood land. The area to be utilised is an existing grassed clearing in a wooded area to the north of Kerrow Lodge.

“There is an existing 12m x 24m tarmac covered vehicle parking and turning area, with the access to the south east. The existing access to the parking area leads onto the B3374.

“It is proposed to position a shepherd’s hut style living accommodation on the site. It will be located north of the existing dwelling and primarily be for family and friends but also to holiday let when vacant. The plot for the shepherds hut is approx. 100m2 to be enclosed with a 1.8m high timber fence to allow for privacy. With a paved front area and grassed side and rear.

“Access to the hut from the car park will via a 1m wide footpath this will be approximately 30m in length. This will be illuminated at night by motion sensor, solar powered down lights or light bollards onto the amenity space and footpath to minimise light pollution.

“The hut will be approx. 6.1m x 2.5m in size and will have an open plan living area and a bathroom. The construction of the accommodation is timber finish to the walls along with timber doors and windows with the roof a black corrugated UPVC.

“The foul waste will be drained to a septic tank with a drainage field situated a minimum of six metres from the proposed shepherd’s hut and any existing building. It will be a max of 25m from the car park to allow for waste removal.

“The proposed floor level of the hut will be 600mm above the floor level, datum of the existing dwelling. There will be a maximum of two persons staying in the shepherd’s hut.

“The location of the proposed hut is approx. 15m away from Kerrow Lodge and it is an existing location that can be utilised without the felling of trees. It also provides privacy for visitors and guests with the fact that they are within easy reach of the host dwelling

“The proposed shepherd’s hut will be virtually enclosed by the existing tree line and with the motion control subdued lighting there will be no impact on the community of Kerrow Moor.

“The development will be a sustainable development with access to a public bus service, with three bus services in all stopping close by and the Bugle train station a short distance away. The bus routes include a direct route to St Austell and Bugle.

“The Eden Project is only an 18-minute cycle ride. There are also cycle and footpaths to Bugle only two miles away and Stenalees one mile away. A five-mile cycle track leads to St Austell. This allows for travel around Cornwall without the need of a vehicle.

“There is an existing access from the B3374 highway leading to a parking and turning area and this provides spaces for five to six vehicles.

“There will be virtually no disruption to the community during the forming of the shepherd’s hut and the running of it.

“The area of land to the whole grounds is approx. one Hectare and easily accommodates the proposed shepherd hut building.

“The development is modest in scale and there will be virtually no visual impact beyond the site itself.”

While not objecting to the plans, the applicant was warned that the site could be used for lithium extraction in the future. In a response to the application from Mineral Policy Consultations, a representative stated: “The proposed development falls within a Mineral Safeguarding Area, which has been designated around the St Austell china clay area. The china clay area has extant planning permission for the extraction of china clay and associated works.

“In addition, lithium exploration is taking place within the vicinity of the proposed development, with potential use of Kerrow Moor and Rocks china clay sites as part of those lithium operations.

“Therefore, impacts such as noise, dust, traffic, construction and blast vibration may arise. I note that the proposed development refers to a shepherd's hut for family use and therefore I conclude that as proposed the development does not conflict with policy MS1 of the DPD.”

Approving the plans, Cornwall Council’s planning department told the applicant: “The development hereby permitted shall be used for holiday/ancillary accommodation to the dwelling known as Kerrow Lodge and for no other purpose, including any purpose in class C3 of the Schedule of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987, as amended.

“As holiday accommodation it shall not be occupied by any one person for more than 28 days in any one year. The existing house known as Kerrow Lodge and the holiday/ancillary accommodation hereby permitted shall be maintained as a single planning unit.

“The owner shall keep an up-to-date written register of the details of all occupiers using the accommodation hereby permitted, for holiday accommodation, including their names and main home addresses, and shall make it available for inspection by the planning authority at all reasonable times.

“Reason: The Local Planning Authority consider that the proposed annexe would be inappropriate for occupation independent of the main dwelling by virtue of the physical relationship between the annexe and the main house which would create inadequate levels of residential amenity for the occupiers of both in accordance with Policy 12 of the Cornwall Local Plan and Paragraph 135 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2024.”

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