A charity which rehabilitates and rehomes racehorses has been given permission to build a new centre.

Racehorse Relief had applied to Cornwall Council to build an indoor sand school on land at Vicarage Farm, Wendron.

The charity, which helps to rehabilitate, reschool and rehome racehorses wanted the new centre so that it can continue to operate all year round.

Cornwall Council's west sub-area planning committee agreed to grant planning permission when it met this morning.

However, Wendron Parish Council had objected to the plans saying that the building was too large.

Local Cornwall councillor Loveday Jenkin agreed saying that the building would be the same size as half a football pitch or three tennis courts.

She added:

"Putting a business use into a quiet area with a large number of horses and, potentially, for a large number of vehicle movements is something that hasn't been considered in this planning application and business case."

Committee member Joyce Duffin said she was happy to support the plans and proposed that they be approved.

Councillor Sue Nicholas said it was a "great idea" but asked whether the height of the building could be reduced as "racehorses don't jump so does it need to be that high?".

Councillor Mark Kaczmarek responded: "Racehorses do jump, there are some famous horseraces such as the Grand National, have you heard of that one?"

He added that it was important to have enough space for the horses and added that some would have riders as well when being rehabilitated.

He added:

"This is a good business and it will grow. We we do suffer from in Cornwall is a lack of rural employment and hopefully, that will do that."

Graham Coad added:

"These horses will need lots of space to move around. This is a charity and a very worthy cause. It is an agricultural building, I can't see any reason why we would want to refuse this."

The application was approved with 12 votes in favour, one against and one abstention.