Plans to create access to listed building approved

Inside the garden battery, which is currently inaccessible to the public

Changes to an historic listed building in Cornwall have been agreed by a council's planning committee.

Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park in south-east Cornwall has Grade I listed gardens and 55 Grade II and II* listed structures, including areas built to defend.

It includes the Garden Battery, which was part of the sea defences built in the 1860s to protect the dockyard at Devonport.

The proposal to create new public access to the battery was unanimously agreed by Cornwall Council's east area planning committee.

A composite of images showing how the battery could look after work is complete

Plymouth City Council – which jointly owns the building with Cornwall Council - had submitted the application with Cornwall’s planning department for listed building consent to create a new public access into the park’s Garden Battery.

The proposals also included the creation of internal staircases and information boards, seating and landscaping.

The meeting heard that key opposition issues included the possible impact on the historic and natural environment, flood risk, and the effects on wildlife habitat and ecology, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Planning officer George Shirley said it would provide better access to the building as it is currently inaccessible to the public.

But he added: “The proposed physical works to the building will lead to a degree of harm to the fabric, character, appearance and integrity of the listed building and on the setting of the neighbouring Tudor blockhouse Grade I registered park and gardens.”

However, the economic, social and environmental benefits of the scheme, which was described as being of a sympathetic and thoughtful design, were considered to outweigh any harm.

An 18th Century saluting platform, mounted with 21 guns, originally stood on the shore at Mount Edgcumbe and the platform was replaced in 1862 by the present Garden Battery.

'Desperately need'

Three of the original guns, captured from a French ship, can still be seen on the Garden Battery and are marked with the French revolutionary "cap of liberty".

Louis Dulling, representing Plymouth City Council, said Historic England came to the conclusion that the works would not result in harm to the area.

Kate Ewert, Labour councillor for Rame Peninsula and St Germans, said: "I am absolutely in support of this application as it’s something we desperately need done at the park.

"The Garden Battery has been slowly falling into decline over the years. We don’t currently have any shuttering on the window so it gets absolutely battered by the sea and rocks.

"There are gouges in the floor from very heavy debris coming in."