Plans for modern property overlooking beach in Cornwall

The new property, declared an "alien imposition" on the landscape, would be on the cliff side overlooking Trevaunance Cove in the seaside village.

The local Cornwall councillor is so concerned about its impact on the landscape and surrounding World Heritage Site that he’s called the application in for discussion by committee.

Cornwall Council’s planning department has received an application for the replacement house, which will now be decided by the authority’s central area planning committee this Monday, April 8.

The proposal has been recommended for approval by planning officers and is not considered to harm the setting of the Cornwall National Landscape (formerly known as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). “The proposal would not result in material neighbour amenity impacts in terms of overlooking, overshadowing or overbearing,” adds a committee report.

The white house in the middle of the picture would be replaced with a new build if plans are approved (Pic: Laurence Associates)

However, division member Cllr Pete Mitchell believes the matter should be decided by councillors rather than by officers behind closed doors due to the strength of feeling locally.

St Agnes Parish Council has objected to the plan, stating: “The significant size, scale and bulk of the proposed new dwelling was considered to be out of keeping with the distinctive local character of the area.

"The parish council agreed with World Heritage Site (WHS) planning advice that the ‘overtly modern design will be a highly incongruous addition in this location, where more traditional designs predominate’.”

Although it doesn’t object in principle to a replacement dwelling, the WHS office is concerned that the proposed house would be “a very alien imposition within the context of an area that is characterised by its time‐depth and buildings both new and old that have a somewhat more traditional character and more modest scale”. The Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Unit also objects.

For more information about the application see PA23/09127 on Cornwall Council’s planning portal.