FEARS have been raised that plans to remove affordable housing from a controversial seafront development in Newquay will be rubber-stamped through.

Developer Salboy has submitted a planning application to reserve the right to provide an off-site affordable housing contribution to Cornwall Council instead of building a rear affordable block as part of its plans to build 143 new dwellings at Narrowcliff if there are delays in the Narrowcliff Surgery relocation.

Cornwall Council asked Newquay Town Council to withdraw its objection from last year to the amended plans so that it could be decided through delegated authority rather than committee — but the authority decided to maintain its stance at its meeting on Wednesday, April 2.

The authority said it opposes the plan as the provision of affordable housing was the reason used by Cornwall Council to approve the 143 apartments as the housing would “outweigh the identified harm to the historic environment, the tourist economy and to parking in Newquay town.”

Councillors and residents wanted to see Cornwall Council’s central sub-area planning committee making the decision on the plans rather than it being decided through delegated powers “behind closed doors” following more than 700 people opposing the scheme.

But the current Newquay Central Cornwall councillor Louis Gardner decided against ‘calling in’ the planning application despite the level of opposition.

Cornwall Council’s principal development officer Stephen Kirby has now written to Cllr Gardner asking him to clarify his position on whether he supports the town council’s objection to the developer’s application to reserve the right to provide an off-site affordable housing contribution.

Alternatively, he asked whether Cllr Gardner backs the officer position to support the scheme to “enable the application to be determined through delegated authority.”

Cllr Gardner replied on April 1 that he “fully understands the reasons” for the developer’s amended planning application and the planning officer’s reason for supporting it.

He said he was “content” to support the officer position for this to be subject to delegated authority.

Councillors are now concerned that Cllr Gardner’s support will override the town council’s objection, and the developer will be permitted to make an off-site affordable housing contribution rather than building the proposed rear affordable block.

Cllr Joanna Kenny, the chairman of Newquay town council’s planning committee, said: “The offer is to reserve the right to make the standard affordable homes payment instead of providing the normal 30 to 35 per cent affordable homes, if the surgery move does not take place.

“If the surgery move does happen, which is not looking very likely at least not in the near future, then they would build on the original plans including the affordable housing block they say.

“It took less than six months for the developer to put the application in to remove the obligation to build the affordable homes.

“Apparently, they hadn’t realised that this depended on the new surgery despite that being quite clear in the original application.

“Sadly, we’re expecting that just as they have always ignored the town council and all the objections to the scheme and the deal will be rubber stamped through.”

Action group Stop Massive Overdevelopment in Newquay are considering staging a demonstration against the plans.

Spokesperson Daniel Smith said: “It seems theirs been pretty strong objections to a lot of this development.

“What’s worse is when Cornwall Council sitS with developers to change the plans completely then pass them without further consultation despite hundreds of objection from local people and the town council.

“Then it’s difficult to trust that Cornwall Council will do the right thing.

“The new request to remove any sort of affordable housing which will probably be the only part of this development that will house people year-round is a major concern.

“It seems there is a strong will amongst the local people against this so we will hope to form a protest.”

Salboy have been contacted for response to concerns.