CONCERNS over the impact of a 527-property proposed development by Persimmon Homes on land at Priory Road has been raised with Bodmin Town Council and nearby residents.  

Among the concerns, councillors noted that the developers had not attended a town council planning meeting to present their proposals to either the council or the community, as would normally be expected fora development of this size and impact.  

At a previous consultation into the development, prior to amendments being made, Bodmin Town Council objected to the proposals, stating that in the view of the planning committee, it could not be supported in the form it was in.  

It wanted Persimmon to make considerations to provide a primary school for the area and called for conditions including no construction of any dwelling until the access road was completed to a highway’s standard, the connection of new storm water and sewage connections, and for any community assets as proposed or offered to be completed within the first phase of dwellings.  

It also called on the development to be delayed until there was a marked improvement in the availability and access of provision with regards to the local GP services.  

After assessing the newly amended proposals, Bodmin Town Council’s planning committee raised several concerns, including that previous ones had not been addressed.  

The Mayor, Cllr Philip Cooper, said that he was concerned that the number of houses would represent an overdevelopment for the area, and added that he was concerned about the road safety of the new scheme with an impact on both existing and new potential residents as, in his view, the road narrows a third of the way into the development.  

Cllr Craig Rowe said that in his view, it was strange that Persimmon hadn’t presented the scheme to either residents or Bodmin Town Council and questioned if there had been any consultation. He also raised concerns about the water neutrality of the development given concerns about phosphate levels in the River Camel.  

Cllr Liz Ahearn raised concerns of the impact that a development twice the scale would have on the town’s drainage, particularly in light of issues with the town leat, adding that she had concerns over drainage at Church Square that presented itself during a previous development of half the size of the one proposed and had not been rectified.  

Cllr Pete Skea, the chair of the planning committee said that he shared the concerns of other councillors on the over-development of the area, and did not believe the infrastructure and services in the town as it is could support it.  

After discussing the proposal, Bodmin Town Council voted to inform Cornwall Council that they object to the proposal in its current form, but would like to invite Persimmon Homes to a future planning meeting to discuss their proposals.

Objections had also been raised by residents and community groups, including the Castle Canyke scout group who said they were concerned about the security of their site with hundreds of homes adjacent to it.