PLANS for the construction of five houses in a village near Holsworthy has been given a severe setback after an appeal against its refusal failed.

Mr and Mrs Mills sought to obtain a permission in principle for the construction of five dwellings on land at Balsdon Road in Whitstone.

Permission in Principle (PiP) is an alternative, two-stage planning consent route in the UK designed for minor housing-led developments. It separates the fundamental question of whether a site is suitable for residential development from the detailed technical and design considerations.

The planning agent for the couple told Cornwall Council: “The site sits to the north of Balsdon Road within the village of Whitstone, Holsworthy. The site currently comprises an agricultural field laid to grass, there is currently no access from the field onto the highway, and will therefore need to be created as part of any development. The site sits towards the edge of the developed form of the village, however Paradise Cottage to the north bookends the development before leaving the village.

“The proposed site is envisaged as a continuation of the village, and as such the house style, material and approach is envisaged to continue into the application area. The scale of the development within this site as five units is of a small scale, at 3.8 dwellings per acre. On plot each unit has external private garden amenity space to the rear, with a minimum of 150m2.

“All properties have a single garage with 2 separate off road parking spaces, which is similar to those existing dwellings locally.

“As part of the proposal, a community green space is proposed to provide additional usable space for the properties. Use of this area provides additional amenity space that existing dwellings do not currently benefit from.”

However, the plans were refused by Cornwall Council on the grounds that in their view, the land was not suitable for residential development.

They told Mr and Mrs Mills: “The proposed development, by reason of its location outside the built form of Whitstone within the open countryside, would represent an unjustified and unsustainable form of residential development.

“The site does not comprise infill, rounding off, previously developed land, or any of the exceptional circumstances supporting new housing in the countryside. The proposal would result in the physical and visual extension of the settlement into the countryside, causing harm to the character and appearance of the rural landscape and eroding the transition between the settlement and its agricultural surroundings.

“Furthermore, future occupiers would be heavily reliant on private vehicle use to access a wider range of services, facilities and employment opportunities, due to the limited accessibility of the site by sustainable modes of transport.”

Mr and Mrs Mills appealed the refusal, with the appeal heard by S Harrington, a government appointed planning inspector.

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However, the inspector backed the decision of Cornwall Council, stating: “I find that the proposal would conflict with the development plan, read as a whole. No material considerations, individually or cumulatively, indicate that a decision should be taken otherwise than in accordance with it. Therefore, the appeal is dismissed.”