18th March 2025
Fresh Little Chimneys planning application opposed
MORVAL Parish Council has voted unanimously to oppose the latest planning application in respect of the Little Chimneys development in Widegates.
The application (Reference number: PA25/01392 on Cornwall Council’s planning website: https://planning.cornwall.gov.uk/online-applications/simpleSearchResults.do?action=firstPage) relates to the erection of four dwellings with all matters, except access, reserved without the compliance of conditions No.3 and No.5 of the applicants’ October 26, 2020 permission (Decision Notice: PA20/02271).
Two members of the public also attended the public participation section of the Parish Council meeting to express their concerns over the development and they were advised to seek legal representation.
Later, during the full Council meeting, members voted to strongly object to the application.
The Council considered that the planning lay-out provided did not show what had been built to date as the houses appeared to be in a different position (there were said to be three on one side of the site and one on the other) and, therefore, the Parish Council believed that the application should be classed as ‘invalid’.
Councillors also agreed to ‘strongly oppose’ the removal of the footpath, which was meant to provide pedestrian and cycling access on a narrow road.
They were concerned that the removal of the footpath could lead to the applicants applying to build more houses on the same footprint.
In addition, the Parish Council commented that the foot-high mound of soil, currently in situ, did not constitute a Cornish hedge and, therefore, could be considered in contravention of the net gain biodiversity drawings that were originally provided.
The Council’s comments now appear on the Cornwall Planning website where the Highways Authority is also recommending that the footway is maintained ‘given the narrowness of the carriageway as it would provide shelter for pedestrians from an approaching vehicle and mitigate vehicular/pedestrian conflict’.
The Highways official also says that the retention of the footpath would serve to protect the emerging visibility splay and reinforce the speed limit, by providing ‘visual ques (sic) for driver that they are entering a built up environment’.