PA23/00945: The conversion and extension of a barn to a dwelling with associated works in Wadebridge has been refused by Cornwall Council’s planning department.

The executors of the estate of Mrs N P A Burt had applied to Cornwall Council for the works at land adjacent to Karenza, Wadebridge, Cornwall.

The application for the conversion and extension of the barn was supported by Egloshayle Parish Council.

One objection had also been raised by a neighbour.

However, it was later thrown out by Cornwall Council’s planners on two grounds.

These were: The proposed re-development, by virtue of its scale, form and substantial extensions required to bring the existing building into residential use is tantamount to the creation of a new dwelling on a site which is not infill or rounding off within a recognised settlement. The proposal is therefore the creation of a dwelling in the open countryside at a location with poor accessibility to necessary daily services and facilities which would perpetuate over reliance on the private vehicle and unsustainable traffic movements. The proposed scale of the resultant building and associated works would harm and domesticate the rural landscape setting and would constitute a discordant element in the landscape that is unsympathetic to the character of the existing historic barn which would fail to promote local distinctiveness and would have an adverse impact on the barns which would fail to enhance their immediate setting. In the absence of any special circumstances to justify this proposal, the application is not sustainable development and is contrary to Policies 1, 2,3, 7, 12, 21, 23 and 27 of the Cornwall Local Plan Strategic Policies 2010-2030, Policies C1 (part 6) and T1 of the Climate Emergency Development Plan Document February 2023 and paragraphs 80, 130, 152, 154 and 174 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

“The application site is within the hydrological catchment of the River Camel which is designated as a Special Area of Conservation under the Habitat Regulations 2017. The designated site is considered to be in unfavourable condition due to high levels of phosphates. Insufficient details of a mitigation package has been submitted to demonstrate that this proposal would not result in an increase in phosphate levels. Given the failure of the proposal to provide any suitable mitigation, and until demonstrated otherwise, the precautionary principle must prevail in favour of nature conservation. The development is contrary to the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017, para 180 (a) of the NPPF which states that planning permission should be refused if significant harm to biodiversity cannot be avoided, or as a last resort, compensated for and policies 1, 22 and 23 of the Cornwall Local Plan Strategic Policies 2010-2030”