Residents have voiced concerns over plans by the Church of England's Truro Diocese to build new homes on its land in the most southerly village in the UK.
Truro Diocesan Board of Finance Ltd applied to Cornwall Council for permission in principle to build up to nine properties on agricultural land at The Lizard. The local parish council says existing homes in the village are not selling, which shows there is no need for further development.
Since the application appeared on the council's website in July, 51 comments have been made opposing the proposal with none in support. Landewednack Parish Council and the Cornwall National Landscape have also objected.
The proposed site covers about 1.6 acres on land south of Parc Garland, Church Cove Road, in the hamlet of Landewednack, which abuts The Lizard village. The application says the site is surrounded on three sides by residential development "and therefore the character of the area is not exclusively rural".
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Council planners recommended approval, but local member, Liberal Democrat councillor Rory Gow, called it to committee so councillors could vote on it instead of planning officers. He was concerned the development would be out of character with Landewednack and harm the scenic beauty of the area, which is within the National Landscape, formerly an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Nigel Legge was born in The Lizard village and has lived next to the field for 42 years. A member of Landwewednack Parish Council, he addressed a meeting of Cornwall Council's west area planning committee on Monday on behalf of villagers.
He said the field has been regularly farmed for decades and is visited by deer and birds of prey. "This is not an unused piece of land waiting for development. It is part of the agricultural landscape and character of Church Cove.
"The National Landscape's response to this application raises serious concerns," said Mr Legge, who added it would have an urbanising effect instead of protecting the landscape of historic Church Cove.
Cllr Claire Hiscott, representing the parish council, spoke next. She said the diocese had not approached the council before the application.
"The suggestion of rounding off of similar developments nearby is incorrect. Developments to the north have been made on brownfield sites and are not similar. Those houses have not sold.
"Lizard village is the most southerly village in the mainland of the UK. It has limited services, no post office, no access to cash, limited bus service and limited connectivity as you will have known during Storm Goretti. There is already pressure on our water supply and sewage discharge. The impact on the highway will be considerable – it is the only road access to the lifeboat station."
The councillor said a number of properties, including affordable homes, are on the market in The Lizard and not selling. Some family homes have had to be converted for rental or holiday lets because they have not sold. "There is a limited need, I would say, because we're 20 minutes from anything," added Cllr Hiscott.
Ben Wood, representing Truro Diocesan Board of Finance Ltd with Savills real estate company, told the meeting it was "very much an exploratory exercise to find if land on the edge of the village could be used more effectively and could those funds raised be used by the church for purposes elsewhere in Cornwall".
He said the plan for between five and nine homes was not an urban extension of the village and denied comments that it would lead to more development.
Local member Cllr Gow reiterated his concerns that it would lead to development in a protected landscape.
Cllr John Martin said he found it difficult to support the proposal as The Lizard had done more than its fair share in providing housing over the past 20 years. Planning officer Mark Broomhead replied: "I appreciate what Cllr Martin's just said, but whether we like it or not the Government has increased our housing allocation – every single village in my view for the future is likely to have more housing."
Mr Broomhead added that he didn't agree with the National Landscape team's opposition to the application, as the field was surrounded by existing housing on three sides.
Cllr John Thomas moved that the application be refused on the grounds that the housing would impact the National Landscape and character of the area. The refusal was granted with six votes for, two against and no abstentions.
Council Rejects Church Housing Plan for The Lizard