CORNWALL Council has been approached concerning a plan for a Gypsy and Traveller site on land previously occupied by a holiday park in a Cornish seaside resort.

Pre-application advice is being sought before full planning is submitted for an eight-pitch site in Carbis Bay. The applicant has said that the site will cause no harm to the landscape, biodiversity or historic assets in the village.

The site is brownfield land that previously formed part of the Carbis Bay Holiday Park off Laity Lane. To the north lies housing that once formed part of the holiday park, to the east is land earmarked for 83 homes, while the Una holiday development sits to the south.

If eventually approved, each pitch will provide an amenity block, space for two caravans, car parking and bin storage. Pitches will be developed in pairs, each with individual vehicular access, screened by a landscaping buffer, bound by a fence with a sliding access gate to provide residents with security.

The entrance to the site would have a warden/security hut and three visitor parking spaces. There would also be recreational space and a surface water attenuation pond. The land already has planning permission for a residential development of up to 41 homes.

Rob Duff, director of Bristol-based Earlsfield Town Planning, said in a supporting statement: “The development will be a high quality Gypsy and Traveller site, designed with an understanding of its location and with full consideration of the development’s impact upon the biodiversity, beauty and diversity of the character and setting of Carbis Bay, which will cause no harm to the landscape, biodiversity, geodiversity or historic assets.

“The Cornwall Local Plan advises that at least 318 permanent pitches for Gypsies and Travellers should be provided between 2010 and 2030. With less than five years to April 2030, current total provision of permanent pitches is just 66 permanent pitches.

“From evidence published on the council’s planning portal, it seems that current unmet need, taking into account the redevelopment of the Wheal Jewel Caravan Park site, is 214 pitches to be provided in the next five years. The council does not have a five-year supply of Gypsy and Traveller permanent pitches.”

For more details of the pre-application see PA25/00917/PREAPP on the council’s website. https://planning.cornwall.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=T22J9PFG1Z500&activeTab=summary