Planning Statement Change of Use to 2 X 2 Bed Accessible Holiday

Planning Statement

Change of use to 2 x 2 bed accessible holiday cottages (Land opposite Meadowside Farm)

January 2021

Contents

1. Introduction ...... 3

2. Description of Development ...... 3

3. The site ...... 5

4. Analysis ...... 6

4.1 Principle of the Development ...... 7 4.2 Sustainable Development ...... 8 4.3 Character and Appearance ...... 10 4.4 Impact on Neighbours ...... 11 4.5 Highways ...... 12 4.6 Flood Risk and Sustainable Drainage ...... 12 4.6 Mining Investigation ...... 12 4.7 Ecology ...... 13

5. Conclusion ...... 13

Appendices Appendix 1 Mining Investigation report

1. Introduction

This application is for change of use of agricultural land to use for 2 x 2 bed holiday cottages. Plans include building 2 agricultural/rural style cottages (size 95.32m2) to building regulation M2 standard to provide accessible accommodation. It will also create 4 parking spaces.

The development site is on Bridge Road, Goonhavern and is within the parish of Perranzabuloe. The village of Goonhavern is located inland but is in close proximity of a number of north Cornwall’s stunning beaches including Perranporth, which is only 2 miles away. With a number of Caravan and Camping parks in the village, Goonhavern is already established as a holiday destination.

The purpose of this planning statement is to provide an assessment of the proposal in terms of relevant National Planning Policy Guidance together with specific local Development Plan policies.

The plan below shows the location of the site in relation to Goonhavern.

2. Description of Development

The application seeks to build two accessible 2 bed quality holiday cottages, with secure bike storage. The location of the site is on the edge of the village of Goonhavern, with existing development to the North East and East. The site is within easy walking distance of the village centre along a quiet lane that is used frequently by walkers, cyclists and horse riders. The development is also located near to a network of footpaths that leads you through to Engelly Road and other parts of the village. Goonhavern is due to benefit from the development of the Saints Trail which will be a new accessible multi-use trail which will enable residents and visitors to travel off road between Perranporth, Goonhavern, St Newlyn East and finally Newquay. Goonhavern already has a great network of off-road cycling, walking and bridle routes and the Saint Trail will add to this. With the growing interest in cycling in Cornwall the accommodation has been designed to incorporate secure cycle storage and a bike cleaning areas for its visitors. 3

Opposite the entrance to the proposed site is Meadowside Farm which has a business producing fencing and fence posts. There is very little noise that comes from this business. Polgoda Riding stables is just 0.14 miles from the site. The Community Centre is located just 0.13 miles from the proposed holiday cottages.

To the South there is housing and holiday developments that extends beyond the extent of this development.

The rectangular development site is of a level nature and has very limited agricultural value. It has been topped a couple times a year to keep the field growth under control.

A road classed ‘C’ runs along the western boundary.

The applicant, Mr and Mrs Roberts live at the opposite end of the field on Kerkin Close. Mr Roberts who is currently not in employment due to having struggled with anxiety, which is exacerbated by being in a work environment, would manage the holiday cottages. This opportunity to run the business therefore creates the perfect opportunity for Mr Roberts

to use his skills and talents in an environment which would not provoke his anxiety. This application will therefore directly support a local resident in finding employment/income and supporting his family.

The holiday lets will also bring additional finance to the local economy by providing accessible quality accommodation of which there is very little in this area. From speaking with Visit Cornwall it is clear that there is a lack of accessible facilities in Cornwall as a whole, but also in this area. It is clear from research into holiday accommodation use and accessibility, that by ensuring the property is accessible will generate a higher level of use all year round, therefore avoiding void times and generating more valuable local economic benefits. Of utmost importance to the applicant though is it creates equality of opportunity so that those of with a disability can come to the area to holiday.

The project clearly links with the ambition of the Local Industry Strategy to make Cornwall and Isles of Scilly a global leader for low carbon experiences for visitors and residents, maximising links to the environment, heritage and culture’. With a push for Cornwall to become a sustainable sport and leisure tourism destination, this application is responding by providing accommodation in an area that is in close proximity (0.3 miles)to the soon to be built Saints Trail. With this in mind the Cottages will provide adequate storage and facilities for bikes such as a bike washing area. Importantly, the holiday cottages will be designed to a standard that allows them to bring year-round additional income to the local economy.

The buildings have been designed to be sympathetic with buildings in the area, with materials used to reflect that of the adjacent farm buildings. It will be an agricultural/rural style single story simple design, using cladding, stone and steel sheeting. The image below is of the adjacent farm building.

The existing entrance would be used but improved aesthetically.

3. The site

The application site is currently a field which is kept cut. The soil is heavy clay and not of good agricultural quality. It is mostly covered with marsh weed. There are a number of nearby properties, Meadowfield Farm, Willow Farm, Cottage Bricks, 4 properties at Kerkin Close, Accra, plus 1 new dwelling, plus outline planning for a further 2 dwellings, Newlands

Gate (planning for 2 additional dwellings, current application in for up to 5 dwellings), Green Meadows Cottages, Oyster Bay Holiday Park, Penrose Housing development (8 houses) and Penrose campsite. There is also a new footpath entrance through the new development into Penrose Holiday Park back which takes you into the village. The site also has a footpath running along its southern boundary which links to a continuous footpath back to the village past Green Meadows Holiday Cottages.

The site is in close and convenient proximity to village facilities including bus stops, footpaths, play areas, shops, pub, village hall, garden centre and proposed Saints Trail. See below and Section 4.2 for further information about the sites sustainability including distances from facilities.

Wheal Jane Consultancy provided a mining search for the development which shows the site within a load outcrop zone at the surface. Site investigations have been undertaken at the far end of the site for a previous approved planning application, which showed no workings however, the applicant would undertake further investigations prior to any start on site. See Appendix 1

The site falls within the Landscape Character Area is Newquay and Perranporth Coast. The site does not have any specific designations except for a Public Right of Way which is fenced off from the development site.

4. Analysis

The most relevant policy to this proposal is the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the Cornwall Local Plan: Strategic Policies 2010-2030. Of interest is the Goonhavern Parish Plan and Neighbourhood Plan that is in development for the parish but is not at a point where it carries any weight in planning terms.

4.1 Principle of the Development

The introduction of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) in March 2012 introduces more recent policy guidance than the Carrick District wide Local Plan.

Policy 5(3) of the Cornwall Local Plan Strategic Policies 2010 - 2030 (CLP) advises that the development of new, high-quality, sustainable tourism accommodation will be supported where they would be of a scale appropriate to their location and accessible by a range of transport modes.

It also advises that proposals should provide a well-balanced mix of economic, social and environmental benefits. This is supported by paragraph 83 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2019 (NPPF), which requires planning decisions to enable sustainable tourism developments which respect the character of the countryside.

The proposed holiday cottages would be of a high-quality and would have provide accessible accommodation. Furthermore, the development would be proportionate in scale to the adjoining settlement of Goonhavern, be of sympathetic design for its locality, and would support the local tourism economy and businesses.

Policy 5(3) advises that new holiday accommodation proposals should provide a well- balanced mix of economic, social and environmental benefits. In this case, the proposal would have economic benefits through:  general support for the local tourism economy  providing an income for the applicant who is currently not in employment  generation of local jobs as part of the build and servicing of the cottages.  Promote local cycle hire and cycle tour businesses

It would also have social benefits by:  providing accessible holiday accommodation  specifically help the applicant to gain an income. The applicant suffers with anxiety which is exacerbated through being in the workplace  providing jobs for local people  promoting use of the Saints Trail and wider cycling, walking and other outdoor pursuits/businesses in the area  providing facilities in the accommodation which make it easy to bring and use bikes on holiday.

Environmentally, the development provides holiday cottages:  in a sustainable location, easily accessible by public transport  that will enable visitors to access sustainable forms of activities such as the soon to be built Saints Trail. This will conveniently connect visitor to Perranporth, St Newlyn East and Newquay without having to use a vehicle  Has good connections with existing cycling, walking and horse-riding routes  The biodiversity of the site will be improved through additional tree planting, a shallow pond and managed wildlife areas.

The Landscape Strategy for Carrick Villages (Sept 2007), in the section about Goonhavern, and 'the relationship of the village to its landscape setting' states that 'the village itself is remarkably inconspicuous in views from around the surrounding area, largely because of the strong structure of hedgerows and trees around its immediate periphery which effectively screen and absorb much of the built development in to the landscape. The 7

immediate setting of the village is therefore dominated by the character of the surrounding landscape rather than by built form'. This character is evident with properties along Bridge Road which are set back from the road with mainly gated entrances and hidden behind shrubby, tree lined hedges that make a canopy over the road. This makes the transitional point into the settlement of Goonhavern less clear. The Landscape Strategy goes on to say in its 'Key Elements' that 'gateways or arrival points are very close in to the village', this is particularly true of Bridge Road, more so than on other roads into the village, where arrival into the village isn't obvious.

Moreover, there have been a number of developments approved and being built in the vicinity that are on the edge of the village. Adjacent to the development field is a Meadowside Farm which includes agricultural buildings that are used for a fencing business. Kerkin Close has been built at the opposite end of the field. Accra achieved planning permission for 1 which has been built and has outline for up to 2 more dwellings to the south and further still, Land Adjacent to Accra has approval for 4 dwellings and is currently being built. Oyster Bay Coastal and Country retreat also extends well beyond the previous village development boundary. Oyster Bay lies much further away from the centre of the village than the development site.

4.2 Sustainable Development

National Planning Policy stresses the significance of ’sustainable development’ which is now defined in a way that reasserts the balance between economic, environmental and social constraints, opportunities and outcomes.

The proposed development on the application site represents the opportunity to develop two appropriately sized cottages for holiday use that are well located in relation the centre of Goonhavern and to existing public transport provision. Therefore, being wholly in accordance with the principles and policies associated with sustainable development such as Cornwall Local Plan Strategic policies 1 ‘Presumption in favour of sustainable development’ and Policy 5 Business and Tourism ‘To ensure a continued supply of appropriate business space, proposals for new employment land and uses’

The development site is located within an easy walking distance from local facilities with all but one service/facility being under half a mile, the below provides information on walking distances and the attached annotated map shows the location of the facilities in relation to the Development (Section 3).

Location of Village Facilities Facility Distance Meters miles Footpath 0 0 Village Hall 402 0.25 Shop (Londis) 524 0.32 Saint Trail 524 0.32 Post Office 524 0.32 Playground/park 524 0.32 Public House 628 0.39 Bus Stop 685 0.43 Hair Dressers 777 0.48 Garden Centre (including café/refill store/fruit and veg shop etc) 933 0.58

Footpaths, Bridleways and Byways Access by foot back to the village can be undertaken in a number of ways. Either via the quiet lane on Bridge road which is used regularly by many families to walk children to school and recreationally by walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Or via the footpath that is at the entrance to the site. This takes you past Kerkin Close, by Green Meadows cottages which joins with Holt Road back to the village. Alternatively, a new route is being made through the new Housing development (8 homes) at Penrose Farm (Engelly Road) back to the village.

The map below shows all the existing footpaths, bridleways and byways in and around the village. Goonhavern is blessed with having many that enable the various parts of the village to be linked with the surrounding countryside and other villages and hamlets.

The accessibility of the village will be further enhanced when the Saints Trail is completed, which will create a purpose built multi-use trail between Perranporth and Newquay similar to that of the Camel and Bissoe Trails. This substantial investment from the Council and Highways England to create this trail, has encouraged this exciting opportunity to develop a self-catering business which is tailored to the needs of those wanting to engage in sustainable outdoor pursuits such as cycling in Cornwall.

The Saints trail also creates a great opportunity to provide safe off road routes for people with a disability to walk or cycle as the gradient of the route will be appropriate for those on adapted bikes as well as wheel chairs.

Travel by public transport to the site will be encouraged and the applicant will actively encourage and promote the use of Active Travel and public transport to visitors for their stay. There are a number of local businesses that supply bikes to the door such as Go By Cycle | Cornwall Bike Hire Delivered to your Door, Bike Hire In Cornwall - Cornish Cycle Tours and Coastal Trail Cycle Hire | Cornwall Bike Hire which will be promoted in the cottages. These companies provide a range of bikes, from Road bikes, e-bikes and mountain bikes for all ages. In addition to this the New Cycle Hub at Perranporth Rugby Club will be hiring bikes to users of the trail.

There are also companies that provide Cycle Tour holidays and days out in Cornwall and Active England provides a 6 Day Self-guided cycle tour of Cornwall. Information will be provided on these. The Cottages will provide bike washing areas and importantly bike storage to ensure safety of bikes. With the new Cornwall Cycle Hub proposed near Newquay also, the North Coast and Cornwall as a whole is set to truly benefit from cycling activities.

The development does not encroach on the Public Right of Way that runs along the boundary of the site. The fencing that is currently in place will not be moved. The footpath will remain open and unobstructed during the construction of the development.

The plan below shows the network of footpaths, bridleways and byways in the immediate area of the site.

The Local Plan paragraph 2.19 states that ‘Development particularly where it provides homes and employment to meet needs arising from these rural communities are encouraged’.

The applicant lives in Goonhavern at the opposite end of the field proposed. A small parcel of this land is now being proposed for development so that the applicant can make use of the land to build the holiday cottages and create local jobs not only for the applicant who is currently not in employment, but also by supporting the local economy through provision of more bed spaces in the area.

4.3 Character and Appearance

This application has been developed in accordance with the Cornwall Local Plan Strategic policies Policy 2 ‘Key targets and Spatial Strategy’ which states that ‘New development should provide the most sustainable approach to accommodating growth; making the best use of infrastructure and services whilst respecting the character of Cornwall’. Policy 13 continues by talking about the character, layout, movement, adaptability, inclusiveness and diversity of buildings.

The development is of good sustainable design which takes advantage of the sites existing features, for example the boundary screening has been encompassed into the designs and the construction materials are in keeping with new and old developments in the vicinity such as wooden cladding.

The design of the development will be sympathetic to its surroundings. The dwellings have been carefully designed to complement each other and the surrounding area. The use of local natural materials and locally distinctive design has ensured that the scheme has a strong connection to the area in terms of appearance. 10

The existing site is partially hidden by mature trees and hedging, this reflects the way in which other properties have been developed along Bridge Road.

The holiday cottages will be single-storey dwellings of which there are many similar examples in the area. The new dwellings will have a traditional and agricultural character which will be in keeping with their location.

The building construction will consist of: Materials: Walls - Vertical Hit and Miss SW weatherboarding. Roof - Profiled steel sheeting, colour: grey. Windows/Doors - Treated SW, Colour natural. Slate cills.

Landscaping will include: Large shallow pond to enhance the biodiversity of the area and to assist with drainage. Additional tree planting and wildlife areas to create an attractive environment for its visitors.

The new dwellings will be insulated to a high standard and so will be pleasant and economical to occupy.

As a result of these measures we are confident that the development will not have a significant detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the area and that it will have a positive economic impact for the area. The design of the dwellings are in no way overbearing or out of character with the area and uses appropriate materials.

4.4 Impact on Neighbours

There is one neighbour across the road (Meadowside Farm). The next closest property is 4 Kerkin Close, the applicant’s home.

The boundary between Meadowside Farm and the development site has a large bank and then mature hedging and trees, there is also a footpath that runs along the south west boundary. This hedge will not be retained and unaffected by the development and therefore there will be no overlooking between the dwellings.

A conversations was held with immediate neighbour at Meadowside Farm on the 13th January 2021 where no concerns were raised at this time.

The development will bring no harm to neighbouring properties and the traffic generated from the holiday cottages will be minimal. The footpath will not be affected by the holiday cottages as it is fenced off. There are already trees planted along this fence boundary to help restore what many years ago was the field hedge. The existing gate entrance will be used for access.

The chosen build method is one that would be of timber frame construction, which is quicker than tradition block construction. The build would be undertaken with due consideration for the neighbours providing as little disturbance as possible.

4.5 Highways

Local Plan policy 27 seeks the effective and safe movement of traffic of which this application seeks to maximise.

The access for the development will be off Bridge road, there are many properties in the vicinity that also exit onto this road. Bridge road is a very quiet road that has minimal traffic. The road is a C classed road and the site is approximately 0.09 miles from the existing 30mph zone.

There is good visibility from the existing entrance.

4.6 Flood Risk and Sustainable Drainage

Cornwall Local Policy 26 states the need to minimise or reduce flood risk on sites.

Contact has been made with the Environment Agency who stated that ‘I have had a look on our flood map and it shows the development site to be in flood zone 1. As such we would have no further comment on the site other than to recommend that our standing advice is adhered to.’

Due to the small scale of the project and Flood Risk Assessment is not required. However, it is notable that there is variable infiltration on the site and it is proposed that all surface water should be directed to soakaways. The site is within an area designated by the Environment Agency (EA) as Flood Zone 1 (not at risk of flooding).

The flood risk has therefore been assessed and it is concluded that the proposed development of the site does not bring any significantly risk of flooding offsite and or flooding on the site from over land flow, groundwater sources, flooding from sewers, flooding from reservoirs and blockage or exceedance.

South West Water has been consulted with regard to the proposal, there is currently no public sewer in this area and therefore a private sewerage system has been proposed. It is anticipated to us the existing ditch (owned by the applicant) that is used by Kerkin Close for wastewater. This would be implemented in accordance with LABC guidance H2 Wastewater Treatment Systems and Cesspools.

4.6 Mining Investigation

A Phase 1 Desk Study was carried out by Wheal Jane Consultancy in August 2012 (see Appendix 1). A review of the history of the site was conducted based on readily available mining historical maps of the site.

The study shows a number of ‘mineral loads’ travelling along the site and the surrounding area. There are no recorded mining works present on the site however, there are mining

works documented in the local area. Therefore, site investigations to be carried out in agreement with LABC inspector prior to commencement.

4.7 Ecology

The site does not lie within or on the borders of a statutory or non-statutory site of nature conservation importance.

This project will have no impact on the hedgerows as all hedging will remain untouched except tidying the entrance to improve it aesthetically. The applicant has already planted over 100 trees on the site to improve its biodiversity and intends to plant additional native trees and shrub species such as willow (Salix cinerea) pedunculate oak (Quercus robor), ash (Fraxinus excelsior). A shallow natural pond will also be created and areas left wild to provide an overall biodiversity gain.

5. Conclusion

The proposed development provides the opportunity to provide 2 x 2 bed accessible quality holiday cottages in Goonhavern and brings many economic, social and environmental benefits.

The holiday cottages are proposed in an area that currently has residential development nearby and a number of Caravan and Camping Parks. However, there is limited quality all year-round accessible accommodation and especially that which is tailored to those who wish to cycle.

Goonhavern is a thriving and growing village with many amenities that visitors will be able to make use of. The location is considered sustainable, with easy access to public transport in the village, cycling and walking routes and is wholly in accordance with planning policies at the national, regional and local level.

In addition to this, the site can be developed with a positive impact on the local economy and will bring additional ecological value to the site, have negligible landscape impacts, nor any flood risk downstream. It would not impact on transport and access in and around Goonhavern.

With the likely increase in visitors to Cornwall due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, which it is thought the impact of which will continue for some time, this accommodation provides additional self-contained accommodation where visitors will not need to come in to contact with other visitors at washing and toilet/shower facilities.

The proposed building design is suitable for this development and the proposed development will provide 2 detached self-contained 2 bed holiday cottages of modest and sympathetic design. The application will provide ‘accessible’ all-year round visitor accommodation of which there is a lack of in the local area, and Cornwall as a whole, and will therefore be a positive contribution to the tourism economy if supported by the Planning Authority.