THERE has been anger a developer proposes to remove the obligation of having to provide affordable housing in its controversial seafront scheme in Newquay.

Salboy has submitted a planning application to provide an off-site affordable housing contribution to Cornwall Council instead of building a rear affordable housing block as part of its plans to construct 143 new dwellings at Narrowcliff.

Councillor Joanna Kenny questions how much benefit the luxury housing development would bring the town if the scheme is given approval.

Newquay Town Council’s planning and licensing committee has unanimously objected to the proposal.

The decision notice stated: “Councillors recalled the delegated planning officer report for permission in which it was indicated the provision of affordable homes at a time of housing crisis had weighed heavily in favour of permission being granted for the proposed development.

“It is also understood that the divisional member echoed this point of view when deciding against calling in for determination by Cornwall Council's Central Sub Area Planning Committee, despite strong opposition from the town council and the 714 public objections recorded on the Cornwall Council planning register.

“Councillors agreed that, with the permission for the scheme being subject to the Section 106 Agreement plus conditions, any changes to the deed of modification would need the utmost scrutiny from Cornwall Council.

“The notion that the affordable housing obligation could be delivered in the form of an off-site contribution was received with some anger as it is understood this could lead to the S106 housing being delivered anywhere across the county.

“Councillors wished to make it very clear that any modification to the S106 agreement resulting in a reduction in the affordable housing earmarked for Newquay would be objected to in the strongest terms and would be considered as undermining a key premise upon which permission was granted.”

Cllr Kenny said: “The provision of affordable housing in the form of the rear block of retirement flats was the fig leaf used by Cornwall Council to justify overriding the objections of the town council at the breach of Newquay Neighbourhood Plan policies and the failure to review properly the application at committee, not to mention ignoring over 700 local objections.

“As Cornwall Council put it in their justification ‘The public benefits stemming from the proposed introduction of a significant number of well-designed new homes in a main town during a time of housing crisis at a location highly accessible to a range of services and facilities by sustainable modes of travel are substantial and outweigh the identified harm to the historic environment, the tourist economy and to parking in Newquay town.

“And that’s not mentioning the effect of this outsized complex on the Barrowfields , wrecking the Newquay skyline, and setting a new precedent for oversized buildings across Newquay.

“Unless there is a housing crisis in providing luxury seafront flats, with or without internal greenhouses, then the only public benefit would be the now threatened affordable homes.  

“Anyone care to place a bet on just how much of the promised money to Cornwall Council would actually be spent providing even one new affordable home within central Newquay?”

Cllr Stephen Hick added that permission was granted because the provision of on-site affordable housing was “essential to the survival of Newquay”. He said that its replacement with an affordable housing payment could be spent by Cornwall Council in “Hayle, Liskeard or wherever the flipping heck they like and it will not benefit Newquay”. He said he wanted it minuted that he was “fuming and angry”.

Members of the council said they “weren’t in the remote bit surprised” to see the new application. “I thought the whole thing was disgraceful and this is now making it even more disgraceful,” added Cllr Kenny.

Councillors wished to make it clear that any modification to the Section 106 planning agreement resulting in a reduction in the affordable housing earmarked for Newquay would be objected to in the strongest terms and would be considered as undermining a key premise upon which the original permission was granted.

A spokesperson for Salboy said: “We have no further comment at this time.” However, Cornwall Council’s portfolio holder for housing Olly Monk, who represents Newquay Trenance ward, feels that the town council planning committee is being unfair. He told us that Salboy was definitely not “weaseling out” of its commitment to affordable housing.

Cllr Monk said Salboy wants to crack on with the first phase of the development, but has been hampered by a delay in Narrowcliff surgery moving to a purpose-built “super surgery” at Nansledan. The developer still want to build the second phase – the affordable element of 49-bedroomed over-55 accommmodation for social housing.

“They don’t want to be in the position of stopping the whole thing to wait until the doctors’ surgery moves, so Cornwall Council told them that the affordable contribution is £2.17m, a sizeable amount of money. If in the event in three to five years’ time when they’ve finished phase one and the surgery hasn’t then moved, they can give the council that £2.17m and because it’s tied into a Section 106 agreement, it would have to be delivered as affordable social housing in Newquay,” said Cllr Monk.

“The main focus is delivering the new surgery and it’s not anticipated that we would need to use the backstop of the £2.17m. That’s not Salboy weaseling out.”