Plans for 320 houses off the A30 in Penzance approved

The proposal by Devonshire Homes to build the homes with associated roads, car parking, cycleways and pavements on land allocated for housing at Trannack Farm, near Heamoor, was discussed again by Cornwall Council’s west sub-area planning committee at the local authority’s Camborne office. Thirty per cent of the proposed homes – 96 properties – are classed as 'affordable'.

The committee deferred a decision a month ago in favour of a site meeting after the developer proposed using emergency access to Polmennor Road to serve 29 dwellings for a temporary period. The road would also be used by construction traffic.

A petition against what was described as a “narrow country lane” being used for such access has now been signed by around 1,400 people.

However, Angus Cook, managing director of Devonshire Homes, told today’s meeting the company was no longer proposing construction or residential access on Polmennor Road, saying: “We have listened to concerns and amended our plans.”

'Not safe'

Mayor of Penzance Stephen Reynolds spoke at the meeting in a personal capacity on behalf of objectors. He said parts of the site, where the main pedestrian route would be, have been virtually underwater for the past three weeks due to heavy rain and flooding and it “wasn’t safe”. He said an alternative pedestrian route on Polmennor Road, which is “narrow, has no footways, no street lights and is a 60mph limit road” wasn’t safe for families to walk.

“The only safe way for them to leave the site is to press a button on a toucan crossing, which will stop the traffic on the A30 which is a lifeline for the economy of Penzance, Newlyn and West Penwith, and all blue light services,” added Mr Reynolds. “Local residents are understandably concerned at this proposal, but what about future residents? They will be my neighbours – I fear for them, marooned on a huge car-dependent estate on the wrong side of a busy main road and a river that floods.”

John Pearson, a highway engineer with over 40 years experience, including at Cornwall Council, said he fully supported housing on the site “but not at any cost and certainly not at the risk of putting highway users in serious danger”. He favoured access from the Treneere roundabout, which had previously been dismissed by the developer as too prohibitive and costly.

He said proposals for the toucan crossing had not been the subject of a road safety audit, adding that existing footpaths were “not suitable, adequate or safe, being impassable for many months of the year”.

Artist\'s impression of one of the streets which would be created as part of the 320-home development planned at Trannack Farm, Heamoor, near Penzance (Image: provided by developer Devonshire Homes, free to use)

Cllr Bonnie Jackson represented Penzance Town Council, which objected unanimously to the application, due to the lack of safe access. She said the council also had concerns about the development being overbearing. “One existing dwelling would be overlooked by about 70 windows, which is quite considerable and there will be a lot of houses in this position.”

Hugh Eddy, vice-chairman Madron Parish Council, said he was happy to hear Polmennor Road would no longer be used for access or construction traffic. “However, we are still concerned that so little detail has been provided on pedestrian movements. These will have a big impact on our parishioners. Statements seem to be of wishful thinking rather than a study of where people will actually walk.

“In essence, the committee today is being asked to approve traffic matters, a toucan crossing and a pedestrian crossing, and pedestrians using Polmennor Road, with absolutely no information provided to show they will work.”

He said the parish council was not against the principle of the development but wanted it to be “safe, well thought through and, above all, we want the development to work for everyone, not just the developer’s budgets”.

Where the housing estate will be built in relation to Penzance (Pic: Cornwall Council)

Jenny Olds, of Bolitho Estates which owns the land at Higher Trannack Farm, said the estate put the land forward as a suitable candidate for housing need as it sits in the “natural bowl” of Penzance and would not infringe on the surrounding open countryside unlike most other proposed housing sites in the town.

“The estate lets a large number of properties in West Cornwall and is aware of the need for more houses. Pre-Covid, its waiting list for let houses was consistently around 150 households; since the pandemic it now sits at well over 300,” she added. “We hope that this proposal will allow an unviable farm to be converted into houses to accommodate 96 households on the affordable housing list and give other households the chance to buy their first house in Penzance or upsize into a new family home.”

'Half a per cent' of objectors

Angus Cook, MD of Devonshire Homes, added: “We’re aware there’s been a well-orchestrated group of protesters and we’ve listened to their concerns and amended our proposals accordingly. However, the council website has less than 90 objections, which represents half a per cent of the population of Penzance.”

He said audits can’t be carried out on the toucan crossing until planning permission is in place. He added he was happy with the safety of other pedestrian routes, which had been approved by the council’s highways expert.

Committee member Cllr Michael Thomas said many of the councillors, though in favour of housing on the site, were “very concerned” with what they were being asked to support, particularly the pedestrian links and the developer’s decision that creating access off the roundabout would be too difficult and costly.

Councillors Thalia Marrington and Loveday Jenkin said the design was a lot better than on many allocated housing sites, and stressed there was also a housing need in the area. Cllr Jenkin said the main “sticking point” for her was the access on Polmennor Road, which had now been sorted. “There are more positives now, but my final sticking point is ensuring there are good routes for pedestrians and cyclists.”

The committee was warned by the council’s legal representative that if it refused the development, on an allocated site for housing, Cornwall Council would face a “very difficult appeal”.

A recommendation to approve, with an amendment suggested by Cllr Jenkin that delegated powers were given to officers to ensure there are effective pedestrian and cycle routes, was approved by eight votes to one against, with one abstention.