Cornwall councillors have given permission for rules over an annexe to be changed so that it can be used as a holiday let – despite claims that this would go against local planning policy.

Adrian Evens and Susan Hookway had applied to change the use of the annexe at their property in Polperro.

Planning officers had recommended that the application be approved despite claims that it goes against a policy in Polperro and Lansallos Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP), which is designed to ensure that new properties are only used as primary residences to prevent the proliferation of holiday and second homes.

The annexe at the property in Landaviddy Lane is already in place and the application was seeking to change the use so that it could be used both for the applicants’ family and friends as well as a holiday let. Cornwall Council’s east sub-area planning committee considered the application when it met this week.

Planning officers said that the application should be approved as the annexe would remain reliant on the main property and would not, therefore, be considered a new dwelling. They said that because of this it did not go against the NDP policy.

They also stated that as the annexe did not have any amenity space it would not be suitable for use as a primary home.

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Polperro Community councillor Jude Greville said that the council was concerned that the annexe had been built with the intention of becoming a holiday let. She said that it was considered that it could be used as a full-time residence for a local person instead.

Cornwall councillor Edwina Hannaford said that the application should be refused solely for going against the policy in the NDP, saying that it “doesn’t accord with that policy”.

She added: “There are many one bedroom homes in Polperro that don’t have any outdoor amenity space and considerably smaller than this one. The housing need in Polperro is acute, I only have the figures from April but the housing need was 72 on Homechoice and 47 of those were for one bedroom need.”

Cllr Hannaford said that “the unit should not end up another holiday let” and should be refused for being against the policy. She said that the applicants had made the application “as an attempt to get around policy five”.

However, the committee agreed with planning officers that the application was acceptable and voted to approve it with six votes in favour and three against.