EACH week, hundreds of planning applications come before Cornwall Council’s planning department, seeking to win approval for various plans right across the Duchy, with some concerning Holsworthy handled by Torridge District Council.

These plans can comprise of a number of different reasonings– ranging from permission to replace windows or listed building consent ranging up to large house building developments or changing of use of a building, for instance, from an office to a café, or flats.

Within this large and often complex system, there are a number of formats from which planning advice and approval can be sought.

These range from full applications where all the details which comprise a proposed development or work to a building are submitted, to outline applications, where further details are yet to be confirmed, for example, an outline application with reserved matters for appearance may not confirm the final proposed development but rather seek permission in principle.

An example of this is one for an outline permission for 20 dwellings on land with reserved matters for appearance and scale; the reserved matters would require further permission later for their inclusion.

Other types of applications include pre-application advice requests, where would-be developers submit often outline proposals to a local authority to ascertain whether it is likely to gain support or not prior to submitting a planning application.

The vast majority of applications are decided by planning officers employed by a local authority under ‘delegated powers’, meaning they do so on behalf of their employer, however, some applications are ‘called in’ by local councillors to be discussed at an area’s strategic planning committee meeting, meaning the final decision rests with a committee of councillors.

An application seeking permission in principle for the residential development of up to four dwellings on land in Holsworthy has been submitted to Torridge District Council.

Moriarty and Harding has applied to the authority for the proposed residential development on land at Kingswood Meadow, Holsworthy.

A permission in principle is a type of application where the applicant is seeking the district council’s approval for the principle that dwellings could be built on the land.

It is not in itself a full planning application but rather more similar to the council whether it considers that the idea of up to four dwellings on the land is acceptable.

If granted, it would then be on the developer or whoever owns the land at a future date to submit an application for plans for a development which is up to the number of properties being asked for.

WORKS to reduce the number of trees at a holiday park at St Tudy have been approved by Cornwall Council.

Park Holidays UK limited applied to the local authority seeking permission to remove and reduce the size of a number of trees at Hengar Manor Holiday Park, St Tudy, Bodmin. The trees are the subject of a tree protection order meaning permission is required prior to undertaking the works.

It said that a number of trees were affected by disease.

The trees set for reduction or removal comprise of five beech trees, three ash trees, one elm tree, one holm oak tree and one monterey pine tree.

All three of the ash trees were reported as being afflicted with ‘advanced ash dieback’.

It was reported that of the five beech trees, one had a snapped and hanging branch, one was decayed at the base, requiring felling, another has dieback at the upper crown and the presence of Kretzschmaria deusta, commonly known as brittle cinder, and the other two also have dieback and decay.

The holm oak tree was reported as having decay at the base and recent storm damage in the upper crown, requiring a reduction in height of four metres, while the Monterey pine had a snapped hanging branch on the golf course site.

St Tudy Parish Council voted to support the proposals, with the tree officer also stating approval subject to a condition.

Cornwall Council approved the application, subject to a condition related to the fallen trees, namely: “Within one year of the felling of the trees T1414, T1416, T1419 and T1420 hereby permitted, four Small Leaved Lime (Tilia cordata) feathered whips between 1.75 and 2m high shall be planted within 5m of the stumps of the felled trees.

“The replacement trees shall be retained and if it is removed, becomes seriously damaged or diseased or dies within five years of planting, it shall be replaced with a tree of the same species and stock size, at the same location.”

PROPOSALS for the construction of a house in Stratton has been approved by Cornwall Council.

Ms Meg Hill applied to the local authority seeking outline planning permission for the construction of a single residential dwelling with all matters reserved except for access on land south of Irstead House, Poundfield Lane, Stratton, Bude.

Outline planning permission in this instance means that the applicant is seeking permission to build the house on the land as indicated in the plans, but the ‘reserved matters’ such as the size and the scale of the house, and the landscaping would be the subject of an additional application further down the line, known as a reserved matters application.

Once that is approved, construction of the property can commence.

In her application to Cornwall Council, Ms Hill wrote: “The site is located in Stratton and sits outside of the Stratton Conservation area on the corner of Poundfield Lane and Hospital Road, so the principle of development is firmly established.

“This is an outline planning application with all matters reserved except for access. Access will be via Poundfield Lane and will utilise the existing access to Irstead House. The introduction of a single dwelling on Poundfield Lane is highly unlikely to result in a material impact on vehicular movements.

“The proposed plot is considered of a good size at over 600m.2 and of proportionate size to neighbouring dwellings on Poundfield Lane. The plot is larger than Hillcot, Holmecroft and Meadows and smaller than Irstead and Fairwinds.”

Bude-Stratton Town Council objected to the plans, stating: “BSTC (Bude-Stratton town Council) object, access provision (for site vehicles) will result in a net loss of ancient Cornish hedge line.”

After their objection was challenged by Cornwall Council’s planners under what is known as the ‘five day protocol’, where they are given the reasons why the officer is recommending either refusal or approval, in this case approval, the council were given the option to either change their refusal to approve, or to ‘agree to disagree’, whereby they maintain their objection.

The planning officer concluded: “All other matters raised have been taken into account, including all representations and the comments of the Town Council, but none is of such significance as to outweigh the considerations that have led to the conclusion.”

The local authority granted approval, although it will still be the subject of a reserved matters application at a later date.

Keep up to date with the latest planning applications and other statutory notices (such as alcohol licensing and probates) that affect where you live by visiting our online Public Notice Portal – be the first to know by visiting www.publicnoticeportal.uk/cornish-and-devon-post-series