Plan for new homes set to be approved by council

PLANS to build 133 new homes on land near Penryn and Falmouth are set to go back before councillors next week.

The planning application from Barratt David Wilson Homes for land at Kergilliack in Budock will be considered by Cornwall Council’s west sub-area planning committee when it meets on Monday, January 11.

Under the proposals, 47 of the homes would be affordable – 35% of the total – with 33 for affordable rent and 14 for shared ownership.

It is the second time that the application for the Pen Bethan development has gone to the committee. When it was last presented in November, councillors deferred the application due to concerns about biodiversity net gain and a traffic management plan.

Council planning officers have recommended the application for approval, saying in their report that the concerns have now been addressed by the applicants.

One of the key concerns for local residents and councillors is the impact that the development could have on roads in the area. They highlight that a number of developments have been approved in the area, which could see 470 homes being built, which will add to the amount of traffic on the roads.

It has been suggested that, while the developments are separate, their combined impact on the local roads should be considered together. In response to the concerns, the applicants have addressed the issues around the impact on highways. This states that detailed traffic studies had been undertaken prior to the application being submitted to ensure that the impact would be in line with what is acceptable.