Concerns over the impact in a rural location were among the reasons given for the refusal of a planning application by Cornwall Council.

Mr Jamie White and Mr Robert Dugard had applied to Cornwall Council for planning permission to change the use of part of an agricultural field for dog exercising and agility training in addition to associated car parking area on land east of Oldhay Farm Bungalow, in Altarnun.

However, the plans were met with local resistance, including from Altarnun Parish Council, with Cornwall Council siding with the objections, leading to the proposals’ refusal.

In its notice of refusal for planning permission sent to the applicants, Cornwall Council said that the application “fails to demonstrate an overriding locational and business need to be sited in this isolated, rural, countryside location where the scale of the development proposed would increase additional, unsustainable traffic movements in the locality”.

The Council also said that as a result of this, the proposed development would therefore contravene four policies of the Cornwall local plan strategic policies and two policies of the emerging climate emergency development plan.

In the proposals which were refused, the applicants sought to create a small parking area for four cars, create a timber field shelter and a seat for dog owners to use as a shelter in poor weather and provide facilities such as agility equipment and dog waste disposal bins in addition to fencing the area with 1.8 metre high deer fencing.

In its response to the consultation, Altarnun Parish Council said that in their view, there is no local demand for such a facility and would bring no benefit to the local economy. Adding that despite the proposed fencing, there would be a threat to wildlife and livestock, they wrote: “Altarnun Parish Council unanimously resolved to object to this application for the following material considerations: incompatible and unacceptable use of land in an area of great landscape value (which is also within the Bodmin Moor Dark Sky 2-mile buffer zone) where it is considered the intended purpose would endanger livestock and wildlife.

“Also, it is considered, the intended use would give rise to noise and disturbance during the hours of operation and compromise highway safety on the restricted approach and access to the site. It is further considered that there is no local demand for such a facility and therefore would bring no benefit to the local economy”.

There were also 18 responses from residents on the Cornwall Council planning portal, with 17 objections and one expression of support.