CORNWALL Council has heard that housing is “growing out of control” in a village in mid Cornwall.

The comment was made as councillors decided the fate of an application to build a further 40 homes in the village, which opponents argue has too little infrastructure to support the level of new housing.

Legacy Properties Ltd, a Cornish developer, had applied to build the 40 properties with landscaping and “associated infrastructure” on land at Chyvounder Farm, Newquay Road, at Goonhavern near Perranporth.

The council’s central area planning committee heard there was a housing need for 287 people/households in Perranzabuloe parish.

The proposals were recommended for approval by the planning department.

The application was called before committee by local member Cllr Adrian Harvey as he shared concerns raised by the parish council that the proposal would lead to over-development in the open countryside on agricultural land.

Cllr Harvey also had concerns that the village school is at capacity and would not be able to accept additional pupils, as well as fears that additional traffic would add to pressures on the A3075.

Cllr Frances White, representing Perranzabuloe Parish Council, said: “There is a lack of infrastructure to support the development. There would be too much pressure put on the capacity of Goonhavern School. It is at capacity – there are no doctors or dentists surgeries in Goonhavern.”

Representing the applicant, Martin Woodley, of CAD Planning, said Legacy Properties Ltd has built 316 homes across Cornwall and, of those, 142 have been affordable.

He said the development was a high quality design and compliant with policy.

Mr Woodley added there were the equivalent of 47 affordable homes which have permission in the parish, “so you can see there is still a shortfall in relation to the level of need”.

He said there was a high degree of accessibility to local services and facilities, and noted there were only two public comments against the proposal.

The planning agent stressed there would be financial contributions to education and health care infrastructure, public open space and biodiversity net gain.

The applicant was also working closely with the school to provide support for IT equipment, which is separate from the developer contribution.

Perranporth councillor Steve Arthur told the committee: “I won’t be supporting this. I think Goonhavern has done its fair share.”

Cllr John Martin added: “We’re desperately in need of housing, affordable or not, but I think Goonhavern has played its part in the last decade or so and probably played its part enough.”

Cllr John Fitter agreed: “Goonhavern’s had enough. It’s growing out of control and we, as members, need to control it.”

The application was unanimously refused on the grounds of scale and visual harm in relation to recent developments in Goonhavern.