A PLAN for 50 new homes in a Cornish town, which would have seen land gifted to allow a primary school to expand, has been refused by Cornwall Council.

Applicant Cardell Jenkins was seeking permission to build the properties on land adjacent to Penpol Primary School in Hayle.

The applicant had promised land gifted in trust to Hayle Town Council to enable the school to expand, a dedicated school drop-off area, road safety improvements and land for off-road parking to improve congestion along Penpol Terrace.

John Matthews, agent for the applicant, said: “I am astounded at the refusal, the application decision is two months past determination date which means five months to determine an application on an issue which is supposed to be a council priority, housing.

“The applicants were prepared to give in trust to Hayle an acre and a half of land so the school could expand. No other major application in Hayle has given anything to Hayle. Obviously Cornwall Council does not support the needs of the school.

“The application could now take six months for an appeal submission and the appeal could take a year to be determined. Where does that leave Hayle and an excellent school? It makes you think does Cornwall Council really understand the needs of Hayle or is it they just don’t care?”

However, one of the reasons the council’s planning department gave for refusal was that the proposal conflicted with its own strategy allocating 1.7 hectares of land for the school’s expansion and new traffic access.

“By proposing to substantially develop this allocated site with housing, including along the eastern edge of the site, the proposal is considered to conflict with the strategic approach set out in the Cornwall Local Plan,” said the refusal report.

The council also refused the application due to the close proximity of the Hayle Conservation Area, the Port of Hayle World Heritage Site and “below-ground archaeology”.

It also stated that the plans had not demonstrated if the site could be adequately drained, which is “essential for a development of this scale and nature which falls within the Hayle Critical Drainage Area”.

Historic England had objected due to possible development into the setting of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site (CMWHS), and “the harm that would arise to its outstanding universal value”.

Hayle Town Council also strongly objected to the proposal based on Historic England’s recommendation of refusal.

There were also a number of objections to the development on the council’s planning portal, with concerns aired about access, traffic and flooding.