A plan to build housing and bring people back into a Cornish town centre has been refused.

Members of a Cornwall Council planning committee believed the proposal would lead to over-development and impact the area’s heritage. Applicant Simon Johns had applied for permission to build four family-sized two-storey houses on land to the rear of the Old Coach House, Fore Street in Redruth.

The council’s planning department recommended refusal, noting that although the plan could help alleviate Cornwall’s housing crisis the “overly dense nature” of the development would have a negative impact within a conservation area and World Heritage Site.

The matter was brought before the west area planning committee today (Monday, August 18) by Reform UK councillor Roger Tarrant, who is the local member and believed the scale of the development is proportionate to its town centre location. He stressed that Redruth Town Council had supported the proposal and he felt it should be approved.

Dan Mitchell, from Influence Planning – representing the applicant – said his client had invested almost £1.5m over the past three years renovating derelict buildings in Redruth, bringing them back into use for the benefit of the town. “Not only has this provided town centre regeneration, but also provided jobs for his workforce in the local community.”

He said the plan was supported by policy on development in urban town centres, adding that the development would not be seen from any public viewpoints, with historic stone boundary walls remaining intact.

“At a time when councils are facing pressure to build on greenfield sites on the edge of our towns and villages, sustainable town centre sites such as this should be supported, ” added Mr Mitchell. “We need homes and we need to bring people back into Redruth town centre, and this scheme will achieve this.”

A planning officer told the meeting it would result in a “constrained residential environment” and could impact on adjacent trees.

Cllr Tarrant said that most of the trees on the site were sycamore, which are treated as “weeds” by many experts, and an ash affected by ash dieback, which needed cutting back. “It’s a brownfield site, it’s ugly, it needs sorting out. It’s going to be an asset for Redruth town centre. We need more housing and small developments like this rather than carving up fields,” he added.

Cllr James Ball (Camborne Roskear & Tuckingmill, Independent) said a committee site meeting earlier this month had shown just how tight it would be if the development was approved. The lack of amenity space concerned him and he considered it over-development.

Cllr Mike Thomas (Helston North, Independent) added: “I fully accept there should be development there, but not the massing and scale which will then lose the heritage value. The issue of cramped accommodation is also a big concern. The principle of having people living there is acceptable, but not in that volume and scale.”

Cllr Ball proposed that the application should be refused in agreement with officers’ recommendations. However, Cllr Sally Harrison (Redruth South, Reform UK) reiterated it was a brownfield site, it had good links with public transport, Redruth needed more housing and there had not been a single public comment in opposition, so she proposed supporting the application.

The first proposal to refuse was granted by seven votes in favour and four against.