Land next to Wendron Football and Cricket Club could be turned into housing along with a car park for the sports ground.

Mr S Toyer has asked for pre-application advice from Cornwall Council over the proposal, which would involve the building of four ‘affordable’ dwellings and one open market dwelling, together with the creation of a car park.

The car park would serve Wendron Football and Cricket Club, which currently has minimal parking for its regular sporting events and other activities.

All this would be on land adjacent to the property ‘Ashanti’ at Carnkie, Wendron.

Documents accompanying the pre-application bid state: “In the opinion of the applicant this land could be regarded as rounding-off development within Carnkie village.

“It will be noted that the site forming the subject of this request is completely surrounded by long standing boundary features. The main road lies to the north, and the other three sides are substantially surrounded by existing built development.

“To the west is existing residential development, to the south is the Wendron Football/Cricket Club’s main football pitch with its large seating area/stand. To the east the site is partially bounded by Rame Farmhouse and partially Cornish hedge.

“Under these circumstances it is thought that a scheme of unfettered housing could reasonably be supported.”

Access to the site with the bus shelter to the right (Image: Cornwall Council pre-application)

A ‘rounding-off development’ is one that is said to “provide a symmetry or completion to a settlement boundary” and is not intended to allow for continued growth in small increments. It should not visually extend development into the open countryside and proposals must be adjacent to existing development, as well as contained within long standing and enclosing boundary features - for example, a road, Cornish hedge or stream.

The pre-application letter goes on to add that the scheme for development has a “much greater degree of community benefit.”

“The proposal is to provide one ‘self-build’ dwelling for the applicant and four ‘affordable dwellings’ on the northern part of the site.

“On the southern section it is proposed to provide a car park for the Wendron Football/Cricket Club, which currently has a severe lack of associated parking provision.

“At the site entrance there is an existing bus stop, and it is also proposed to provide a tarmac surfaced pull-in for the bus stop,” it adds.

It states that analysis of recent decisions on other nearby sites indicates that “the development of this land as proposed should be supported”.

“It is felt that the current site, which is within - or at the very least immediately adjoins - a recognised village, is surrounded by existing development, is well served by footway links to nearby community services, and is on a bus route (with improvements proposed for the bus stop adjoining the site), is much better placed than the other sites mentioned above for an affordable-led housing scheme.

“In summation, it is felt that the proposed development would deliver much needed housing in accord with the new Government’s stated intentions, and to help to address Cornwall’s current housing crisis.

“Further, and in particular, much needed affordable housing would be brought forward for young local families,” it concludes.

More details on the request for pre-application advice can be found on Cornwall Council’s planning portal under reference PA24/01005/PREAPP.

During a request for pre-application advice, an officer from Cornwall Council will give their opinion, without it being binding, over whether they believe an application for planning permission is likely to be supported under planning law, and to advise of any issues that may arise.

It is then up to the applicant to decide whether to submit a full planning application.