A garden nursery and café on the outskirts of Helston that has become increasingly popular over the past few years has put forward a new planning application to allow it to stay.
Wendron Plant Nursery and Pancake Barn, on the Redruth Road between Helston and Wendron, previously applied in 2022 for a retrospective change of use to a garden nursery including a cafe, along with the siting of storage containers to be used for holiday letting, stating this would be a maximum of five units.
Cornwall Council refused this application due to the site not being "integrated to the settlement of Helston" and that the development "appears incongruous to its setting and thereby harms the distinctive character and natural beauty of the surrounding countryside".
Now a revised application has been submitted, which reduces the number of days the Pancake Barn would be open, and promotes the plant nursery side of the business more.
The application is for "Retrospective change of use of land for horticulture and the sale of plants, use of store as a cafe, along with the use of its curtilage for associated parking, siting of foundation free storage containers and play park equipment, retention of outdoor seating shelters and office."
The new application also removes the request for holiday letting units, with this side of the business ceasing.
However, it still requests the use of the two converted storage containers as staff rooms, to support a member of staff who is autistic, explaining that the young man has a carer with him at all times but needs a separate staff room for break times.
The business, which has been one of the go-to places in the Helston area, particularly in school holidays, currently employs 15 members of staff all year round.
In a letter accompanying the application owners Ben and Kimberly Charity explain: "This application differs to the recently refused change of use application (March 2022), following feedback from the local authorities planning officers - who, to paraphrase, requested more focus on making the business more of a rural model, meaning a re-balancing of plant selling operations versus café.
"As a result, in this revised application, we are closing the café three days a week, but selling and growing plants seven days a week (four days open to the public, three days selling to trade and by appointment)."
The revised opening hours would be:
Monday (Plant sales only by appointment)
Tuesday (Plant sales only by appointment)
Wednesday 9am to 4.30pm café, animal attractions and plant sales
Thursday 9am to 4.30pm café, animal attractions and plant sales
Friday 9am to 4.30pm café, animal attractions and plant sales
Saturday 9am to 4.30pm café, animal attractions and plant sales
Sunday (Plant sales only by appointment)
The site had previously been used for storage and a horse paddock, before it was taken over in 2015 by Ben and Kimberley.
Planning permission was initially granted for stables, but this was later changed for storage.
Since then, it has developed into a garden nursery, with a cafe that became the Pancake Barn. The site also has children's play areas and keeps animals.
Ben and Kimberley also added: “With free-to-use playparks, animal attractions, beautiful grounds and picnic spots open to anyone without the need to buy from the café, should this business not be the very kind of model to be encouraged and to be proud of in our communities, given the drive for this very type of sustainable business going forwards into a warming world and environmental emergency?”
They added that there was "never any disrespect intended by our family to planning laws", explaining: "The use of the land for horticulture and a tiny café [in 2016] was not far removed from the agricultural designation and was so small scale that we did not think a planning application was merited.
"This was backed up by a planning officer's contact in 2017 (by now the main building was being used partly as a café and seating area) when we were asked for, and sent, a full description of what we were doing and our future plans. It was acknowledged and no further action was taken."
They added: "We did as advised, were given the nod by the planning officer in 2017, and it was pure emergency and necessity of the pandemic situation, and the complete removal of our family income, that led to us upgrading that same business model - which is the same now as it was then, just more polished and a little larger in scale in order to support our family and up to and approximately 20 staff (in season)."
The 2022 planning application attracted more than 40 letters of support, with three against - of which, according to the couple, only one was from a neighbour who was now supporting the revised application.
This new application has already been well supported by members of the public, with one man saying: "It’s a wonderful place. It’s so lovely to see a family-run business thriving where so many struggles in Cornwall have to compete with chains that seem to be taking over.
“At this establishment, they offer a warm welcome, the buildings are all visually beautiful in keeping with the surrounding area using natural materials.”
Another woman has written: “The owners have created a beautiful safe environment, for the whole community, especially for young families.”
The full application can be viewed on the Cornwall Council website, planning reference PA24/00686 where comments can also be left as part of the public consultation.
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