BODMIN could be set for more houses in the St Lawrence’s area of the town after Wainhomes submitted a planning application to construct 58 residential dwellings.

The developer, which had to recently close a road through its adjacent development on Greenvalley Road for a number of months to remedy construction issues, has applied to build on land east of Pandarosa Farm, St Lawrence Road.

The location of the development will see land opposite Bodmin Hospital between an already-built development by Coastline Housing and the Wainhomes development on Greenvalley Road mostly filled in by the new properties.

The new development, if approved, is set to comprise of 10 two-bed dwellings, 20 three-bed dwellings and 28 four-bed dwellings.

However, none of the properties would be set aside as ‘affordable’, with Wainhomes telling Cornwall Council it would not be viable to do so. In an accompanying planning statement, it states: “This application proposes to deliver 58 open market dwellings.

“The submitted Financial Viability Assessment prepared by Vickery Holman, demonstrates that having given due regard to the revenues and costs associated with the proposed development, the development cannot provide any affordable housing.”

In its planning statement, Wainhomes argued: “The proposals will also provide the land required for the delivery, by the Council, of the new primary school envisaged within the allocation of the wider site and the Adopted St Lawrence Concept Masterplan.

“The submitted viability assessment demonstrates that the provision of this land means that the delivery of affordable housing on the site is not viable and therefore justifies the proposals being solely for open market sale. 6.4 Therefore, the application is considered to be in accordance with the most current planning context for Cornwall.

“Planning permission should be granted unless any significant adverse impacts can be demonstrated that would negate emerging policy and outweigh the benefits of development, when assessed against national and local policy.”

A previous proposal by Wainhomes on the same land for 90 dwellings was withdrawn in 2019.

That development, which was met with local opposition, included affordable housing for rent and sale within its proposals.

At the time, it said: “(Wainhomes will) provide 30% of all dwellings as affordable housing which will 27 dwellings of the 90-unit development.

“It will provide 19 homes to Affordable Housing for Affordable Rent, sell 8 affordable houses to local people as Intermediate Housing in line with the Council’s pricing strategy in force at the time any dwelling is offered for sale. It will be sold under Equity Percentage Arrangements discounted freehold or leasehold sales or shared ownership lease products tailored to best assist buyers to secure affordable mortgages.

“Staircasing will be encouraged to 100%. Wainhomes will recycle staircasing receipts into providing more affordable housing in Cornwall.

“The mix of 1, 2, 3, & 4 bed Affordable Housing dwellings – across both tenures identified in clause 1.1.1 & 1.1.2 – will be developed through discussion with the relevant Housing Officer.”

Consultees, including Bodmin Town Council, are yet to comment on the latest proposals, however the town council opposed the previous development, stating at the time: “Bodmin Town Council does not support this application and would request that it is at the very least considered by the Strategic Planning Sub-Committee.

"Bodmin Town Council has a number of concerns referencing policies within both the Site Allocations DPD and the Cornwall Local Plan which this application does not appear adhere to.

"The Site Allocations DPD Additional Policy Requirements point 'j' on p255 of the document states: "Planning permission for the development of only part of the site will not be granted, unless it is in accordance with a masterplan / concept plan for the entire site. This should be informed by a historic landscape assessment."

"In addition Infrastructure; Education; Point 11.37 on p243 states "Bodmin's primary schools currently have a combined capacity of just under 1500 places and by the end of the Plan period it is anticipated that the proposed growth will generate a need for a further 530 places. This will be delivered through a small expansion of Berrycoombe School; together with a new two-form entry school located within the St Lawrence's Urban Extension (see Policy Bd-H3)."

The latest plans can be viewed on the Cornwall Council website under reference PA23/07573.

For more local reaction on this story, pick up a copy of next week’s Bodmin Voice or Cornish Times newspaper.