Village warning to avoid becoming one-child location

90 homes in Portloe, but just one youngster

Residents concerned about plans for affordable social housing in their village have been warned not to allow their community to become like a neighbouring village of 90 properties where only one child lives.

Portloe, near Mevagissey is almost child-free - and extraordinary parish meeting in Veryan this week heard a contentious plan to build 13 ‘100 per cent’ affordable homes on land in an area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB) which will have a mix of social rent and shared ownership homes.

Some residents of the village on the Roseland Peninsula have objected to the proposal, concerned about the effect on the environment, drainage, road safety and the loss of an agricultural field. Many say social housing should take place on Cornwall Council-owned land on the other side of the village, off a road leading to Pendower and Carne beaches.

One objector, Jaks Bell, previously said: “If people want to call me a NIMBY, that’s okay by me. I’m proud to be a NIMBY because I love open fields. I’ve come here because I want to be where it’s beautiful and open, where there’s fresh air and we can see the cows and birds. I want to save places like this because all over the UK, but more so in Cornwall, we are losing fields and I don’t want to lose this field.

“I’m not going to apologise for being called a NIMBY. We don’t need to tarmac everywhere, and put drains and poles in everywhere. If people want to call me a NIMBY, I’ll put a little badge on, that’s fine by me. I’m happy to be a NIMBY.”

Because of the strength of feeling Veryan Parish Council chairman Luke Dunstone agreed to hold a public meeting so residents could discuss the matter before it goes before Cornwall Council planners. At the packed meeting in the village’s parish hall, he asked people to be courteous to each other and what had the potential of turning into a heated debate was befitting of a peaceful rural community like Veryan.

Cllr Dunstone told the meeting, which was attended by the area’s MP Cherilyn Mackrory, that the parish council originally opposed the planning application but relented after being told by officers and Veryan’s Cornwall councillor Julian German of the pressing need for affordable homes in the village.

Cllr German told residents that there are currently 36 households on the Homechoice register in need of a home in Veryan, all with a local connection. “Five of those are in Band A, the highest need. It used to be extremely rare to have Band A need in Veryan. Eight are in the over-55 age group, so it shows there’s a mix of age groups and an absolute need for more homes.”

He told one parishioner, who asked if the applicant could sell them off, that Section 106 planning policy would ensure the homes would be held in perpetuity for local people. Residents also raised concerns about the possibility of the new development expanding on the field, which overlooks the Roseland Gardens housing estate. Cllr German stressed that was unlikely and if there were to be more houses a fresh planning application would have to be submitted.

Neighbours also mentioned land near Market Garden, a social housing development elsewhere in the village, being more suitable for the 13 mooted homes. Cllr German said there was no planning application submitted for that land and this proposal had to be taken on its own merits.

The councillor stressed throughout the meeting that the proposed development was “attractive to local working people who are being pushed out because they can’t afford to live here”. He added that he understood people’s worries and would take any concerns around drainage and sewage back to planning officers, and denied a resident’s claim that it was a “done deal”.

Cllr Dunstone reiterated the need for affordable homes in Veryan in order to keep the community thriving for years to come. “If you take Portloe, there are 90 properties in the old [original part of the] village and of all those properties there is just one child living there. We don’t want Veryan to slip away like Portloe has done in recent years.” His comment about Portloe, which has a large proliferation of second homes, was greeted by loud cheers.

Other concerns were raised about the proposed homes being built on land within the area of outstanding natural beauty, but Cllr German stated that although the council’s own AONB unit said there would be a modicum of harm if the houses are allowed, there is nothing to state that AONB land can’t be built on. “You cannot hold the landscape in aspic,” he added.

Cllr Dunstone brought the meeting to an end and promised those present that all their comments had been noted and would be passed on to planners. A decision will be made on the application on a date to be decided.