Mr Peter Scott - Your ref: The Old Rectory My ref: PA17/03242/PREAPP St Enoder Date: 4 January 2018 Newquay TR8 5DF

Dear Sir/Madam

Pre-application PA17/03242/PREAPP enquiry reference Proposal Pre-application advice for redevelopment of ruined cottage to form single dwelling Location Land At The Thatched Cottage Chapel Porth St Agnes Cornwall Applicant Mrs P Noble

I refer to your enquiry received on 27 November 2017 concerning the above and would inform you that this letter is written on the basis of the information supplied with your enquiry and the submitted drawings.

Based on a desktop assessment and my site visit on 19th December 2017 I have now had the opportunity to assess the site and your initial feasibility detail and a review of the site planning history and policy context has been undertaken. I can now advise you as follows.

Site and context: The site comprises of an area of sloped land which at this present time is an unused field. In the field are the remains of a dwelling that use to occupy the site until a fire destroyed it in the late 1940s. The remains of the cottage is located within the south western corner of the field to the south of the public highway which connects St Agnes to Chapel Porth.

The remains consist of a gable end chimney and some walling on the south eastern end of the building. Traditional hedgerows define the boundaries and there is a vehicular access point off the adjoining highway.

The site lies in an isolated location within a sporadic cluster of dwellings.

Proposal summary: The enquiry relates to the erection of a dwelling to replace the dwelling that used to accommodate the site. An indicative plan has been submitted the response will be based on the basic principle of the proposal and the indicative design submitted.

Constraints:

Planning and Sustainable Development Service Pydar House Pydar Street Cornwall TR1 1XU

CLPREZ [email protected] Page 2

4 January 2018

The site is within the World Heritage Site and Heritage Coast and adjoins the surrounding Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty The site is 80m east of a Site of Special Scientific Interest It is within the St Agnes Landscape Character Area (CA12) 2005/2007 The site is covered by the Goonvrea Lane Chapel Porth Cornwall Tree Preservation Order 1969

Planning History: PA15/04799 - Construction of new dwelling to replace ruined cottage - Refused for the following reason;

The proposed open market dwelling would lie outside of the settlement boundary for the village of St Agnes as defined by the Carrick District Wide Local Plan 1998 and encroach upon the open countryside, designated as Heritage Coast and a World Heritage Site, south west of the village. The dwelling would not constitute infill development and would result in development that would intrude into surrounding countryside to the detriment of the designated landscape character. In the absence of special circumstances to justify the dwelling in this context, the application is not considered to represent sustainable development and would be contrary to the guidance contained in paragraphs 17, 54, 55, 109 and 114 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 and saved Policies 3A, 4O and 6D of the Carrick District Wide Local Plan 1998.

PA15/02397 - Construction of new dwelling to replace existing ruin of cottage destroyed by fire - Withdrawn

Relevant Planning Policies:

Cornwall Local Plan Strategic Policies 2010-2030 (Adopted 22nd November 2016)

Policy 1 Presumption in favour of sustainable development Policy 2 Spatial Strategy Policy 2a key targets Policy 3 Role and function of places Policy 7 Housing in the Countryside Policy 12 Design Policy 13 Development standards Policy 14 Renewable and low carbon energy Policy 16 Health and wellbeing Policy 23 Natural Environment Policy 24 Historic Environment Policy 26 Flood risk management and coastal change Policy 27 Transport and accessibility

National Planning Policy Framework Section 1. Building a strong, competitive economy Section 4. Promoting sustainable transport Section 6. Delivering a wide choice of high quality homes Section 7. Requiring good design Section 8. Promoting healthy communities Page 3

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Section 10. Meeting the challenge of climate change, flooding and coastal change Section 11. Conserving and enhancing the natural environment Section 12. Conserving and enhancing the historic environment

Planning Practice Guidance Cornwall Design Guide 2013 Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan 2016-2021 Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site Management Plan 2013-2018

Principle of development: Policy 3 of the Cornwall Local Plan Strategic Policies 2010-2030 states that "outside of the main towns identified in this policy housing growth will be delivered through (…) rounding off of settlements and infill schemes that fill a small gap in an otherwise continuous built frontage and do not physically extend the settlement into the open countryside.

The overarching theme within the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 (NPPF hereafter) is the presumption in favour of sustainable development and as stated in paragraph 49 housing applications should be considered in the context of sustainability.

The application site is not considered to be part of an established settlement and nor is it within close proximity of a settlement. Rather it is a parcel of land which is associated with a straggle of low density houses in the countryside. As such the land would be classed as being within the open countryside.

Policy 7 of the Cornwall Local Plan Strategic Policies 2010-2030 together with paragraph 55 of the National Planning Policy Framework state that new homes in the countryside will only be supported in special circumstances, these being; o Replacement dwellings o Subdivision of existing dwellings o Re-use of suitably constructed redundant, disused or historic buildings that are considered appropriate to retain. o Temporary accommodation for workers to support established and viable rural businesses o Full time agricultural and forestry and other rural occupation workers where there is up to date evidence of an essential need of the business for the occupier to live at that location

Although the site used to accommodate a dwelling this use ceased a considerable amount of time ago and therefore the residential use of the land, in planning terms, has been abandoned. Therefore in this case there are none of the special circumstances listed above that are applicable and therefore the erection of a dwelling in the countryside could not be covered by policy 7 of the Cornwall Local Plan Strategic Policies 2010-2030 and an application to develop this parcel of land with a dwelling is unlikely to gain officer support.

Landscape Impact Page 4

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Further to the basic principle of the development, the land is also contained within a highly sensitive landscape being within the World Heritage Site and adjoining the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Policies 23 and 24 of the Cornwall Local Plan Strategic Policies 2010-2030 together with sections 11 and 12 of the National Planning Policy Framework 2012 seek to conserve and enhance these special landscape designations for their character and beauty as well as safeguard historic features. Therefore any proposal to develop this area of land is likely to result in a harmful impact on both which would not be outweighed by any public or economic benefit.

Design The design submitted reflects the style of the dwelling that used to sit within the land and you have provided photographic evidence of this. The overall scale and massing has been kept at single storey which will help to minimise the impact on the wider landscape. If an application were to be submitted a design of this ilk is likely to gain officer support however this does not override the basic principle of the development which is not supported.

Drainage: Full details should accompany any planning application that may be submitted indicating the method of foul and surface water treatment to serve the development being proposed.

Contaminated land: Your pre-application advice submission has been reviewed against our planning constraints and consultation criteria. This has identified that the site is on (or near) potentially contaminated land comprising of areas of mining and quarrying.

Relevant planning practice guidance, which is reflected in Cornwall Council's local validation list, outlines the minimum level of information required in such circumstances which includes the submission a Phase 1 hazard assessment. This report should include a desk based study (which looks at all available historical and environmental information), a site walkover, and the generation of a risk-based conceptual model of the site identifying the potential sources, pathways and receptors at the site ("preliminary risk assessment").

Full details are provided in our 'Developers guide and information requirements for planning applications' document.

You may therefore wish to consider selecting EH-TAP (Environmental Health - Technical Advice for Planning applicants) as an addition to your Pre-Application submission (£140+VAT). EH-TAP is a newly introduced service for developers, applicants, and agents seeking consultee advice from Environmental Health on air quality, contaminated land and noise/odour. It is aimed at applicants seeking to 'get it right first time' by ensuring relevant potential impacts are correctly identified and, where necessary, assessed.

Building Regulations: Page 5

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Cornwall Council's Building Control Service is pleased to offer a free initial pre- application advice service for all your development enquiries. Building Control can advise whether a Building Regulations application is likely to be required for your proposal, can give valuable time-saving guidance on how to meet the requirements of The Building Regulations and can suggest possible ways of resolving any notable issues prior to you submitting any formal Planning Permission applications that may be required. Building Control's Extended Services team can offer SAP, SBEM and Air- Permeability Testing Services, as well as access to warranties and other related services.

You are advised to contact the Council's Building Control service to enquire about any relevant Building Regulations requirements relating to your proposal on 01208 265658.

Community engagement:

If you are minded to submit an application, it may be beneficial to discuss your proposal with the Local Council for the area, St Agnes Parish Council on 01872 553201 and/or the Divisional Member for the area Cllr Pete Mitchell on 01872 554475

In addition, I would like to draw your attention to a scheme which was introduced by Cornwall Council in May, namely Pre-application Community Engagement. This will enable input from the local community to be made into the pre-application process should you so wish.

Further information on this matter can be accessed by following this link to our website:- https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/planning/local- councils/planning-partnership-meetings/

Conclusion: The erection of a new dwelling in this location is unlikely to gain officer support.

These views are officers own. Any advice given by Council officers for pre-application enquiries does not indicate a formal decision by the Council as local planning authority. Any views or opinions expressed are given in good faith, and to the best of ability, without prejudice to the formal consideration of any planning application following statutory public consultation, the issues raised and evaluation of all available information.

You should therefore be aware that officers cannot give guarantees about the final formal decision that will be made on your planning or related applications. However, the advice issued will be considered by the Council as a material consideration in the determination of future planning related applications, subject to the proviso that circumstances and information may change or come to light that could alter the position. It should be noted that the weight given to pre-application advice notes will decline over time. Page 6

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You should note that this letter does not constitute a formal decision by the Council (as local planning authority). It is only an officer’s opinion given in good faith, and without prejudice to the formal consideration of any planning application. However, the advice note issues will be considered by the Council as a material consideration in the determination of future planning related applications, subject to the proviso that circumstances and information may change or come to light that could alter the position. It should be noted that the weight given to pre-application advice notes will decline over time.

Yours faithfully

Aimee Williams

Senior Development Officer Planning and Sustainable Development Service Tel: 01208 265702 Email: [email protected]