Plans for 185 homes approved despite flood fears

Homes have already been built at the Tolgus site under phase one of the plans

A proposal for almost 200 homes to be built on the outskirts of Redruth in Cornwall has been unanimously approved by councillors.

The Cornwall Council-led project is due to see 185 houses built on land at Tolgus, alongside a number of commercial buildings.

The approval comes despite a planning committee hearing concerns that it could cause flooding in the area.

The homes will be built by council-owned developer Treveth on two parcels of council-owned land near the A30.

Homes have already been built at the site under phase one of the plans.

Outline approval was given 10 years ago for this phase of development, phase two.

A meeting of the west sub-area planning committee was told on Monday if the application was not approved, the original permission would lapse and the development was “crucial” in alleviating the housing crisis in the area, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The plans include 25% being affordable housing, which equates to 46 units.

Of those, 70% would be affordable rent and 30% intermediate sale, the meeting heard.

Councillor Loveday Jenkin raised concerns about biodiversity and loss of heathland on the site if built, and wanted assurance that ecologists would be involved in the discussions of the environmental and landscaping element of the scheme.

The meeting also heard that residents of nearby Tolgus Place were very concerned about flooding.

Planning consultant Ian Roach said jobs would be created with the construction of the commercial buildings, and added the drainage scheme would not cause downstream flooding, which was a concern of Portreath Parish Council.