PLANNING permission has been refused for the change of use of an agricultural barn for a generator hire business near Launceston.

Mrs Leoni Hallett applied to the council for the change of use, which includes an extension to an existing portal frame shed and the temporary siting of a caravan for use as welfare facilities until replacement facilities become available.

The application concerned land at Sans Souci Garage, Poorhouse Hill, North Petherwin, the home of Cornwall Generator Hire.

It had been the subject of a previous enforcement notice by Cornwall Council on the business after previous applications for planning approval on the site were refused. Since the approved construction of the agricultural building in 2016, it has now been subject to three refusals for its current use.

Fourteen comments expressing support were submitted by members of the public, although North Petherwin District Council unanimously opposed the application in its consultation response.

In their latest planning application to Cornwall Council, the agents for the applicants warned that not approving the application could threaten the viability of their business: “The applicants considered relocating to the nearest industrial estate when the LPA Enforcement Notice was served. They concluded, however, the viability of such a move would threaten the business to such an extent it would struggle to continue as a going concern.

“Details of their viability assessment could be supplied confidentially if required. We understand their business runs on very low margins in order to provide the most economic service to their customers, especially those within the agricultural community, for whom loss of power often occurs during very anti-social hours when other businesses may not be able to offer vital support.

“This could also impact negatively on existing residential properties near the existing industrial estate who may be affected adversely through noise and odour as generators need to be filled on site with fuel and delivered on a trailer at any time of night or day. The existing location does not have any direct neighbours who would be affected.”

Refusing the application, Cornwall Council told the applicants: “In the absence of any justification to demonstrate otherwise, there is no overriding locational, or business need for a B8 storage and distribution use in this location.

“The proposed use of the building is not considered to represent sustainable development and will contribute towards harmful and irrevocable change to the rural landscape by introducing uses and activity found in the well-connected industrial estates of local service centres rather that in this particularly verdant and remote open countryside location.

“An extension to the existing building would further the incongruous and out of character appearance of the site, negatively impacting on the visual amenity of the area.”