PLANS to build two homes on land at Lowertown, which had attracted more than 30 letters of objection, have been refused by Cornwall Council.

The council feels the scheme, which included a single access, would constitute housing development in an unsustainable location and would introduce buildings into an “important defining open area” between Helston and Lowertown.

It is also felt the proposal is likely to increase pedestrian and vehicular traffic on a road which lacks adequate footways and the access does not incorporate the necessary visibility splays.

In the design statement which accompanied the application, Stephen Bott claimed: “Both dwellings would be ‘lowered’ into the site, reducing the floor levels and ridge heights thereby minimising the impact of the development in the area.

“The existing strong landscaping on the north, east and south boundaries of the site restrict views into the site from medium and longer distant locations.”

Many people, though, opposed the development and lodged their comments with Cornwall Council.

One of those, Ivan Lees, said: “The green belt between Helston and Lowertown is an important area not only for the residents of Lowertown and Gwarth-an-Drae, but also for the wider public in general who enjoy this area and have done so for many years. The village already suffers from excessive water run-off, flooding and increased traffic flow of which will only be exaggerated from the building of more dwellings.”

Another objector, Antony Connor wrote: “How many times does it take for prospective developers to realise that the local community do not want any type of development in or around the local Lowertown area. I have been vocal on the impact of any development in this area for several years now and the issues of safety, road usage, noise, infrastructure, drainage, impact on the local area and countryside are still extant. I fail to see how any application can even get to this stage when local objection is so high based on previous enquiries regardless of how many, what size or where.”