Housing estate approved despite ‘accident waiting to happen’ fears

Plans for a new housing estate near Newquay have been approved despite some councillors’ fears that allowing access through an existing estate will be an “accident waiting to happen”.

An outline planning application by Kingsley Developments for 24 houses – including seven affordable homes – off the Highlands estate at Wesley Road, Cubert, was brought before Cornwall Council’s central sub-area planning committee on Monday (July 27) by local member Cllr Richard Barker.

He had previously cited concerns about the amount of affordable housing proposed, the effect on the character of the location and impact on the setting of nearby listed buildings, loss of agricultural land and highways impacts on Wesley Road and within the Highfields development.

Committee chair Cllr James Ball criticised Cllr Barker for not addressing the meeting in person or virtually, something he said was becoming a habit among local members who have brought planning applications to committee.

The proposed site is bordered to the east by the site for a concurrent technical details application for five houses by the same developer, which had previously been approved on appeal. Both applications had been recommended for approval by council planning officers.

The main concerns raised at the meeting were regarding access to the proposed development through the previously approved-on-appeal neighbouring 30-property Highfields estate. It was acknowledged there would be highways impacts, but these were judged to be “not severe”.

However, a number of speakers disagreed.

Cubert parish councillor Neil Truckell said: “To allow access through Highfields is an accident waiting to happen.”

He said there were no pavements apart from an initial stretch. “To allow access through Highfields to another estate would create a highly dangerous, unviable through road with total disrespect and regard for safety of existing residents, especially families with young children.”

He suggested that both applications be combined and that one of the five houses removed from the plans to allow an access directly from Wesley Road. The meeting heard that wouldn’t be commercially viable for the developer.

Fellow parish councillor Lloyd Spencer said that the proposed development did not address the local need for affordable housing, adding that access to the existing Highfields estate was “absolutely chaotic and this isn’t going to help at all – we’re not happy about the access”.

Nathan Gilbert, from Kingsley Developments, said that the application was policy compliant in terms of the affordable housing offer and the mix of affordables was being amended to better suit local needs.

He stressed that apart from the parish council, all other consultees were in support of the application “and, in our view, this is a very sensible application for delivering much-needed homes in Cornwall”.

Highways engineer Jon Pearson, on behalf of the applicant, said that Cornwall Council’s highways officer was satisfied that the development would not have a severe impact following initial concerns.

He added that passing was wide enough for two vehicles and vehicles parking on the road acted as “natural traffic calming” and would help to reduce vehicle speeds. Mr Pearson said the proposal was compliant with policy and would provide safe and suitable access to the site.

The committee was told there are 90-degree bends on the road through the Highfields estate which help to keep speeds down.

Cllr Louise Blackman said: “Given that Cornwall Council is now moving towards a policy of zero accidents, I have serious concerns about the access despite what’s been said as I feel it defies common sense to go through an estate where there are families and children and lack of pavements.”

Cllr Alan Rowe added: “I have concerns about the highways issues of this development.” He said there could be an additional 60 traffic movements a day created through Highfields. “It’s a residential area, there will be children there. There is no speed limit on that road at all. I think the highways impacts of this scheme are significant and I suspect the residents of that area would agree.”

Cllr Martyn Alvey agreed with a lot of what Cllr Rowe had said, but he was looking at the application with one eye on a possible appeal by the developer. “Our own highways officer is supporting the application, so if it went to appeal an inspector would immediately be siding with our highways officer.”

He proposed approval as set out, with Cllr Joanna Kenny seconding despite describing the application as a “dog’s dinner”.

“I hate the way they are proposing to do it, but if our highways officer says it is safe and it goes to appeal, we will not win. We do not have sufficient reasons to turn it down,” she added.

The vote to approve was won with five votes in favour, three against and one abstention. The technical details consent following permission in principle approval for the neighbouring five properties on Wesley Road was then approved unanimously.