THE councillor for Lanner, near Redruth, is pushing for the refusal of a plan to build 42 affordable homes in the village as he has serious road safety fears.

“I cannot believe that the only way to develop this site is to put lives at risk,” said Cllr John Thomas.

Quoinstone Developments Limited has applied for outline permission to build the properties, plus a community car park, on land to the rear of Lannarth Farmhouse, Rough Street, in partnership with Coastline Housing.

The aim is to deliver the project as a 100 per cent affordable housing development for people within the community.

However, Cllr Thomas has brought the application before a meeting of Cornwall Council’s strategic planning committee next week because he disagrees with the authority’s planning department that the development should be approved under delegated officer powers.

The council notes that the proposal would result in a change to the character of the site and some localised harm to the rural setting, together with the loss of agricultural land and sections of existing hedgerow required to create access.

“However, these impacts are considered limited in extent and capable of being appropriately mitigated through the submission of a reserved matters application and compliance with suitably worded planning conditions.

“The technical consultees in relation to access and highway safety, ecology and biodiversity, site drainage and flood risk, affordable housing, archaeology, ground conditions and infrastructure raise no overriding objections subject to mitigation being secured by suitably worded planning conditions and terms within a Section 106 planning obligation.”

Planning officers believe “significant weight” is attached to the delivery of 42 affordable homes in a sustainable location at a time when Cornwall Council cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply and there remains an identified affordable housing need within Lanner parish.

The council’s highways department said that alterations to the road had been considered. However, the impacts on displaced on-street car parking “could have wider impacts that could result in highway safety issues”. A small build-out has been agreed instead that would allow a protected area for pedestrians to step into when exiting the proposed pavement along the front of the development.

However, Cllr Thomas said: “I fail to see that putting a build-out from the exit point onto Rough Street would overcome my highway safety concerns. What is proposed by officers is encouraging accidents on this very busy and narrow rat-run from Lanner through to Four Lanes, Penstruthal and beyond.

“What is proposed now provides no pavement and would force all families occupying the development into the narrow highway, requiring them to navigate around vehicles already parked in the constrained location of Hazel Terrace and Prisk’s Terrace.

“The proposed access point is located at the narrowest point on Rough Street, almost opposite the entrance to the well-used and enclosed Church Green which, because of its regular use by children, families and during fêtes and other events, would create further conflict between pedestrians and vehicles. I cannot believe that the only way to develop this site is to put lives at risk.”

Cllr Thomas added: “The application proposes 100 per cent affordable housing, yet includes one, two, three and four-bedroom properties. As I understood from the original public meeting, none would be specifically secured for local young families. Regarding the four-bedroom properties, it was suggested that these would primarily suit households looking to downsize from substantially larger homes.

“In my view, the scheme as currently proposed risks excluding many local families wishing to obtain their own home whilst remaining in the village in which they were born or with which they have strong local connections.”

The application has received 25 comments in opposition and none in support on the council’s planning portal. However, Lanner Parish Council supports the application, stating: “In accordance with the Lanner Neighbourhood Development Plan, development at this site is fully supported. Alterations in respect of pedestrian safety are noted and it is hoped that this meets the requirements of Highways so that the applicant can move to the next stage as soon as possible.”

The proposal’s fate will be decided at a meeting of the strategic planning committee at Lys Kernow (County Hall), Truro, on Thursday, October 22.