A CONTENTIOUS planning application that seeks to build two four-bedroom houses on a Gunnislake green space is being opposed by Calstock Parish Council.

Barry Cleveland, a local builder who lives outside Callington, had his previously approved planning application knocked back last week following a change in the parish council’s Neighbourhood Development Plan.

Barry submitted a planning application with the intention to build two four-bedroom detached houses for his daughters back in 2018, an application originally approved by planning authority Cornwall Council. The plan was to construct the homes on the land SSE of Mizpah, Kingswood Road, Gunnislake.

However, an updated Neighbourhood Development Plan for the parish, approved in January 2022 has resulted in the site now falling outside the settlement boundary and becoming a local green space.

The original planning application had lapsed and no construction work had taken place. Therefore, Barry had to submit a new application (PA23/00761) which has been met with resistance from both councillors and neighbours, alongside several public comments on the application strongly objecting to the proposal.

Jonathan Luker, the planning consultant acting on behalf of Barry at last week’s parish council planning meeting, said: ‘Having reviewed the Neighbourhood Development Plan, it became apparent to me that the site had been accidentally excluded from the development boundary. Sites with permission should be included within the development limit and there’s no evidence as far as I can tell that justifies why it was excluded.’

‘My client Barry finds himself in a difficult position as a result of this chain of events. He has two married daughters with children. One of his daughters Marie lives in the parish at St Ann’s Chapel and the other in Kelly Bray. A wider aspiration was to build these houses for his daughters. Personal circumstance is not overriding in the determination of a planning application, that said, this deeply unfortunate chain of events surrounding this case are clearly unique and exceptional and would in my opinion represent consideration. The error made in excluding the site from the development boundary and the personal justification are material considerations that weigh heavily in favour of the development.’

Despite the personal circumstance plea and the site originally being within the boundary, councillors were opposed to Barry building the two the homes on an area which is now designated as a local green space.

Councillor Alastair Tinto, chair of the Neighbourhood Development Plan, said: ‘The neighbourhood plan was approved overwhelmingly in January 2022 and the boundaries are clear, this site is outside of the development boundary and is within the local green space.

‘This is an expired planning application. I’ve also never heard that personal circumstance for an applicant are material considerations... that is simply not correct. How much sympathy we might have with the applicant and his daughter aren’t planning considerations.’