West Tolgus

2.  As reported January 28, 2010  West Briton - (Related to Connor Downs but relevant to West Tolgus)

Unanimous vote stops development

OVERRULING their officers, Corn­wall councillors have voted unanim­ously to refuse permission for a housing development at Connor Downs.

The application for 11 affordable homes off Arundel Court came before last week’s meeting of the area plan­ning committee at Camborne, which had council officers’ backing.

Planning Officer Kevin Moseley said the application had been amended since the previous refusal and the dismissal of a planning appeal for a larger site.

Existing pattern

“The council’s affordable housing officer supports the proposed development and confirms that it relates directly to an identified need.

“The reduced scale of the scheme and reducing the amount of protru­sion into the countryside ensures that the proposed development fits well with the existing pattern of devel­opment hi the village.”

Local residents thought otherwise, with Ian Sinclair pointing out it would turn Arundel Court, now a quiet cul- de-sac, into an access road.

Brian Pocock, vice chairman of Gwinear-Gwithian Parish Council, ar­gued against the loss of agricultural land, claiming there were better sites in the village for housing.

A survey showed there was little demand for the development, with most people wanting to see houses built alongside Horsepool Road.

The local school was already full and the development would put ad­ditional pressure on the surgery and other amenities.

Cornwall council received 31 letters of objection and ward member, Councillor Ray Tovey, told the committee he also objected to the application.

“It was my hope that the applicants would reconsider and seek to develop at Horsepool Road but that has not happened.”

Cllr Mike Clayton said there was no proven local need for the houses and his move for refusal was supported by all 13 committee members.

 BY TA - Although this is not West Tolgus, We understand that this is the same company, THF Homes, who want to build a similar development at a Greenfield site in West Tolgus.

 Despite the support of this development by the portfolio holder for ‘Affordable’ Housing, Councillor Kaczmarek, who appears to support any development with the words affordable or local in them, the committee has seen sense and refused planning permission.

Although Councillor Clayton has received several criticisms from TA on other aspects of planning, we applaud his stance on this occasion.

The basis statements given at the West Tolgus public meeting that the houses were, not  ’Affordable’ & not needed - are more or less the comments applicable to this development and, with common sense prevailing, PP was refused.

 1. Answers Awaited

NOT even the cold, icy wind could deter the West Tolgus Residents’ Association from holding their public meeting with THF Homes’ director Paul Stephens and county councillor Peter Sheppard. On Thursday, December 17, around 50 angry residents braved the weather conditions in order to fill Illogan Village Hall. Armed with more than two hours of questions, the residents patiently put forward their points, one by one, which hopefully would lead to a series of answers from THF to allay both their own individual and the association’s concerns. As THF continues to publicly advertise a request ‘for land to sell’ under the pretence of local sellers being able to help local needs’, it was surprising to hear at this meeting that with this particular development only two attendees from within West Tolgus had actually received a mailshot of an invitation to buy one of the homes; yet several attendees stated that they knew of leaflets being well distributed in various other areas including Penzance, Praze and Redruth.

It was also strange that the guide prices for this development had been published (at a so-called cost?) when THF had not even carried out any soil tests on the area when expert advice showed the intended land area had a very high possibility of arsenic contamination whereby cleaning ‘ up costs would be extremely high. It was also felt that the publicity

from THF of ‘Houses’for sale at cost’ was misleading as: 1, a quick local survey revealed that similar properties within the same catchment area weye being offered at a price lower than those from THF, and 2, that the sub-clause of an additional £20 per week index-linked ground rent which in fact over its leasehold would generate in excess of £1 million per house was not clearly emphasised as part of the purchase price. Other major concerns raised during the evening included whether and because of the fact that the plans showed that there were no houses to be built in the ‘end of road’ area that this ’small’ development may only turn out to be phase one with additional future plans for more houses; also, that there did not appear to be any satisfactory answers about highways assessments which included the number of car parking spaces per house, emergency vehicle access, and road widths; sewerage disposal; and ‘honesty’ about THF’s involvement with other additional land purchases in the West Tolgus area. There was great concern as to why on earth any construction company would be attempting to apply for planning permission in an area where local planning and county planning have previously refused permission a number of tunes. I hope that Peter and Paul have not just made notes to satisfy an initial consultation but will take these points seriously and ensure that their objective of homes at cost for local needs is adhered to.

DEREK ELLIOTT


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