PLANNERS have rejected to an application seeking to provide a new housing estate at Five Lanes, writes Amy Dennis.

At Monday’s meeting of Cornwall Council’s east sub area planning committee, held at Liskeard, councillors considered the application by Wainhomes for a residential development of up to 37 houses, including access, associated engineering works, infrastructure, drainage and landscaping, on land east of Fairfield Park — an established housing estate.

Councillors heard a previous application for the site by the developer, which was withdrawn, had sought permission for 50 houses, 30% of which would have been affordable. The new application sought less dwellings, but an increase in the proportion of affordable housing, at 51%.

Catherine Richards, who spoke at the meeting on behalf of Altarnun Parish Council, which objects to the application, said: “The need for affordable housing within the parish has already been recognised and met by three schemes — 25 new dwellings of which 15 will be affordable.”

She added: “There is a long-standing problem in the downhill village of Altarnun with sewage and surface water run off.”

UKIP Cllr Stephanie McWilliam, representing Lynher, said: “The number on the housing register isn’t going to come down as long as we keep approving applications that are not a good match for the need.” The mix of housing as detailed in the report to the committee is nine two-bedroom, 10 three-bedroom, 12 four-bedroom and six five-bedroom dwellings.

She added: “I’m really concerned about South West Water’s assumption it will be fine when clearly it already isn’t.”

The meeting heard the application included an ‘equipped area of play’, but that concerns had been raised by the public open spaces officer and the police with regard to security of that play area.

Addressing these concerns, the application had been amended by Wainhomes so two of the plots were ‘reorientated’ to provide ‘natural surveillance’.

But Conservative Cllr Jim Flashman, representing St Dominick, Harrowbarrow and Kelly Bray, said: “You can’t expect a house that might not have any children to have interest in what they [at the play area] are doing.”

Cllr Derek Holley, representing Saltash East, commented on the size of the proposed play area as being ‘inadequate’, adding he felt the play area ‘is in the wrong position’. He said: “I think refusal will give the applicant chance to go back and look at this public open space and come up with something more meaningful.”

Five Lanes resident Ann Corr, who spoke against the application, said she felt there had been ‘a lack of engagement’ by the applicant.

Ian Roach, recently appointed properties manager for Wainhomes, said the company had undertaken ‘public consultation and spoken with the parish council on a number of occasions’. Adding he had been in the post for three weeks, he said: “I wasn’t aware of any more recent meetings.”

Mr Roach said on drainage concerns, and that South West Water had not raised concerns: “We understand people’s concern about potential foul water drainage issues. We trust South West Water’s experience and that of our engineers.”

It was pointed out the nearest doctors’ surgery provision would be at Lewannick or Launceston, and that the first bus from Altarnun reaches Launceston at 10.40am, which would be inappropriate for commuters.

Highways officer Paul Steen said the new housing estate would result in an additional 21 movements in the morning. Although concerns were raised about the safety of some of the roads, including the ‘double junction’ by the Kings Head public house, Mr Steen said no incidents had been recorded in the last five years.

Fourteen councillors voted to refuse the application on grounds of sustainability and the public open space not being ‘integrated’ into the layout, and one councillor voted against refusal.