AN outline planning application for the building of two ‘drive-thru’ fast food and drink restaurant premises at Plusha Services, on the A30 east of Moor End, Altarnun, has again been refused, apparently due to Highways England’s objections on the grounds of highway safety.

Back in May, at its Annual Parish Meeting, Altarnun Parish Council predicted the scheme’s likely refusal despite the employment opportunities it might bring, and pledged to renew its calls for the layout of the junction next to which the service station stands to be improved.

The site in question is off the junction of the B3257 with the A30 dual carriageway and is currently a car park area providing an infill area and “casual parking” for vehicles between two official car parks for service station businesses – one for the adjoining fuel filling station and shop, and the other for the Subway restaurant at the western end of the site.

The outline planning application (ref PA21/03118) was a resubmission of a previously refused application (ref PA19/05597) originally dated March 24, 2020. The planning Design and Access Statement adds that this original application was refused on the basis that “the proposal would not provide safe and suitable access to the site for all vehicles/people and would cause a significantly adverse impact on the local and strategic road network that cannot be managed or mitigated”.

Surveys

The Access and Design Statement goes on to say that since that time the applicant had engaged with Highways England (HE) and had commissioned further surveys of the existing service station facilities. This had resulted in a revised TA statement of the likely impact of the planning application which appeared to overcome HE’s objections.

HE is quoted as saying that “given the existing operation of a Spar shop with Costa Coffee provision, the potential additional trips associated with the increase in floorspace is likely to be minimal, as will the trips associated with four EV charge points.”

However, the Access and Design Statement notes that given the A30 has very few Electric Vehicle charging points available at the moment, in a climate where use of electric vehicles is being encouraged, that alone might be expected to result in an increase in traffic visits to the site.

The Access and Design Statement concludes that the proposal would have a “neutral impact on traffic attending the site”, would provide employment for people in the nearby villages of Lewannick, Altarnun and Five Lanes, and was a rural enterprise venture of a type being supported by local and national planning policies.

It adds that as regards appearance, the “placing of two suitably designed buildings on the site would not impact on the location or setting of the site”.

Altarnun Parish Council predicted the likely refusal of the planning application at its Annual Parish Meeting in May, which was dominated by the Highways England Planning Response to the latest application. The HE response recommended the plan’s refusal on the grounds that “it represents an unacceptable impact on highway safety at a location that already experiences road safety issues.”

The Altarnun parish clerk’s report on the meeting states: “Councillors debated these findings in the light of their ongoing representation to [local MP] Scott Mann for reparation works to restore the integrity of the junctions’ layout and concluding that this is a scheme almost certain to be refused by Cornwall Council, but if agreed would bring significant economic benefit to the area.

“Councillors agreed that further representation be made to Mr Mann and Cornwall Council to hasten the agreement for works to take place.”