A Cornwall Council planning meeting heard this week that up to three new houses proposed for a hamlet near Redruth would "dwarf" a row of historic miners’ cottages.

Mr and Mrs Steven Dale applied for permission in principle to build two to three new houses on land south of Trevarth Terrace, Trevarth, near Lanner.

Cornwall Council planning officer Katie Lever recommended refusal on the grounds that the site is “outside of, and does not adjoin, the definable limits of the settlement as defined within the Lanner Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP)”.

Lanner Parish Council also opposed the plan, saying: “The area of Trevarth is defined as a ‘mature’ hamlet, which should be interpreted as indicating a completeness. This rural area lies outside of the development boundary.

"It is considered that any development at this location will result in protrusion into the open countryside and therefore be contrary to the Lanner NDP.”

Cllr John Thomas – who represents Lanner, Stithians and Gwennap – called the matter before a planning committee because he disagreed. He believes there wouldn’t be any adverse effects on nearby properties or the street scene, and a precedent for development in the hamlet has already been established.

The application was discussed at the council’s west area planning committee meeting on Monday, August 19. A Mrs Bosworth spoke against the application on behalf of “many Trevarth residents”.

She said Trevarth is a “mature, historic, rural hamlet”, which is on the edge of a World Heritage Site.

“The site is part of the applicants’ field which extends into the open countryside. This previously undeveloped site is now under threat,” added Mrs Bosworth, who said the development would "dwarf" a neighbouring terrace of nine miners’ cottages.

Cllr Tim Luscombe, of Lanner Parish Council, also spoke against the application. “Development at this site will erode what is left of a rural setting,” he said.

Lanner has a number of executive style homes remaining unsold and unoccupied so “more homes of this type are simply not required”, added Cllr Luscombe.

Kevin Moseley spoke in favour of the application: “Last September this committee granted permission for two dwellings adjoining 10 Trevarth Terrace. This application would result in the filling in of the only remaining gap in the line of residential development fronting the road, between the two main clusters of development.

"Therefore the site is wholly within the form and shape of the hamlet.”

The committee disagreed and voted unanimously to refuse on the grounds the development would cause harm to the open countryside and failed to accord with the Lanner Neighbourhood Plan.