A PREVIOUSLY unsuccessful plan to replace a seaside bungalow with a two-storey house in a Cornish coastal village – which was dubbed a ‘McMansion’ by one objector – is back on the table but smaller.

The initial proposal was refused by Cornwall Council’s planning department two years ago and later dismissed by a government inspector at appeal. The same applicant has now submitted a new plan with the property reduced in size. However, neighbours are still not happy, with one resident saying it remains a “monstrosity”.

In 2024, applicants Stuart and Elaine Measham applied to demolish Kenyn Peder, a detached bungalow at Bounder Treath, Coverack on the Lizard peninsula, and replace it with a two-storey house to be used as their full-time permanent residence.

The application caused a furore, with several residents claiming it would set a precedent for replacing homes with properties that dominate their neighbours. Council planners agreed and refused it. An appeal was lodged in response but was dismissed in January 2025.

The inspector noted: “Whilst I have found that the proposal would not result in a harmful impact on the living conditions of the neighbouring occupiers, the appeal proposal would have a harmful effect on the street scene and the NL (National Landscape). The benefits of the scheme do not outweigh the harm.”

Planners and architects Laurence Associates said the revised design has mitigated the inspector’s comments by reducing the height, width and massing, with the use of granite cladding on the ground floor “to anchor the proposed house into the landscape” alongside other design changes including a lighting strategy. The ridge height of the proposed house would increase by 0.84m compared with the existing bungalow.

“The proposal seeks to replace an existing dwelling with a modern, slightly larger but well-designed energy efficient homes,” says the supporting planning statement. “The design has been carefully refined to address the concerns raised through the previous refusal at the site, including scale, impact on the street scene, extent of glazing and potential light spillage.”

However, neighbours have taken to the council’s planning portal to air their concerns and objections. Margaret Calder’s father previously owned the property, which was sold to the current owners following his death.

She said: “This application is totally out of character with the other bungalows in the cul-de-sac, looking more like an industrial unit. In a beautiful seaside village like Coverack, the emphasis should be on preserving what is there rather than knocking down and building something totally out of place.

“It would have a huge impact on the other inhabitants of Bounder Treath who have lived there for many years and do not deserve to suffer this monstrosity from someone who has just arrived. I strongly object to the application.”

Mr Measham commented that his family have lived in the property permanently since July 2024. He added that the total GIA (gross internal area) of the new application is 24.7 per cent smaller than the original proposal.

Linda Hawkins wrote: “Bounder Treath was built as a discreet cul-de-sac of eight bungalows, to fit into the village setting. Six of the bungalows are 37 years old and two are newer but built in the same style to blend in and be unobtrusive.

“The single-storey nature of the estate is designed to protect privacy and also to afford an appropriate outlook both from within the development and from the road.

“The inappropriateness of the suggested two-storey house has been recognised at all levels of the planning authorities to date – and yet the current application persists in proposing a house ill-suited to the location and environment.”

Paula Russell added: “The proposed building will still be overbearing, out of character and imposing on the surrounding properties, just as the previous proposal was.”

Maisie Burch-Thorne wrote in support of the applicants. She said: “This is a family who live permanently in the village and are just lovely people. They are involved in village life, they support all local business all year round, their daughter attends a local college, but most importantly they are there permanently.

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“This village needs people to live in it and be a part of it all-year-round and not just pop down for a quick break as and when they feel like it.”