Plans for restaurant in Porthleven Harbour back on the table

Proposals to build eco-lodges in the grounds of a house which "starred" in a Richard Curtis rom-com and the return of a controversial plan to build a restaurant on Porthleven harbour are among the latest planning applications submitted to Cornwall Council in the week beginning August 28.

Every week more than 100 applications are validated by Cornwall Council and we have selected some of the more interesting proposals. All planning applications submitted to the council have to be validated and are available for inspection by the public. Anyone is also allowed to submit comments about the applications – whether in support or objection.

The majority of applications are decided by planning officers at the council under delegated powers. However, some applications will go before elected councillors who sit on planning committees. No dates have been set for when the planning applications below will be determined. They can be viewed by going to the planning portal on Cornwall Council's website.

Porthpean House plans

The owner of Porthpean House – which was the setting for Richard Curtis' time-travelling rom-com About Time – wants to build eight two-bedroom eco-lodges for family holidays and guests at weddings on the site. Plans also include the restoration of a walled garden at the beachside house near St Austell.

Martin Petherick, owner of Porthpean House, said: "This application is predicated on the continuing need to sustain historic Porthpean House by adding to the available accommodation which currently supports this high-quality holiday and wedding destination at 'The Big Beautiful Beach House', a successful business which I established in 2013.

"I believe there would be strong demand for people to stay in our sympathetically designed eco lodges. These will be strategically and discreetly placed between the car park and the restored historic walled garden that traditionally provided Porthpean House with produce."

The Petherick family bought the house in about 1850. In 2012 Richard Curtis chose Porthpean House for his romantic comedy About Time, the success of which still brings people to the area. The film stars Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy

The plan is to also open the house gardens to the public to experience its celebrated camellia collection, which boasts many rare blooms.

New harbour restaurant, Porthleven

Plans to build a new restaurant on Porthleven's harbour head have been submitted after a similar proposal was withdrawn in March.

RA Design, on behalf of applicant Trevor Osborne of Porthleven Harbour & Dock Company, states: "The site currently has a small building which was occupied by the gig club for storage purposes. The gig club are now currently in a new location. The proposal has very little impact on the area as it will be dug into the existing harbour head".

The plan includes the reinstatement of the harbour head, which would be raised approximately 300mm from the existing grassed area and also be finished with a green roof.

An application to turn the historic gig club building into a restaurant was suddenly withdrawn in March, a month after being lodged with Cornwall Council, following strong objections from residents. Locals thought the plans would ruin the character of the fishing port.

The Porthleven Fisherman and Boatowners Association put forward an objection to the planning permission application in February. They said it would cause a "loss of a vital and current community building".

They also said the scale, size and overall impact of the area is "harmful and erodes the historic character of the area", outweighing any potential benefit. The group voiced their concerns about an increase in environmental noise pollution, particularly from the use of the rooftop, should the application be accepted.

Another point within their objection was the proposal would attract and increase pedestrians to the slipway area, dramatically stating there had already been one fatality and many near misses due to the lack of "vigilance and disinhibition".

There were further concerns raised with the previous application as many residents said the "former" gig club building was actually still being used by the club. The new application states that the gig club is now based in new premises.

Creation of 35 cabins at holiday village

A certificate of lawfulness has been applied for by Little Orchard Holiday Village at Rocky Lane, St Agnes, to redevelop the site to include 35 replacement holiday cabins, a site leisure building, reception building with associated landscaping, and car parking renovations.

Plans were originally approved in September 2020. A statement reads: "This planning application will demonstrate the proposed scheme will replace an outdated holiday park dating from 1952 to provide a year-round resort, to the benefit of North Cornwall's tourism industry and the local economy."

Plan for 25 touring pitches at Goss Moor campsite

Goss Moor Touring & Camping has applied for a change of use to allow it to create up to 25 new multiple use touring pitches due to the success of the business, near St Dennis.

The application states: "Due to the successful nature of the business the applicants are regularly having to turn away a number of touring visitors due to the current restriction of five touring pitches. The proposal is for the change of use of the site to allow for up to to 25 multi-use touring pitches which can be used for either caravans/ camper vans/ motor homes or tent pitches.

"In the future the clients hope to be in a position to to replace the existing shower block with an accessible unit to cater for users with reduced mobility and install electric vehicle charging, with the necessary planning consents obtained. Physically there will be no changes to the site, with the gravel areas remaining in situ."

New homes near St Austell

Peter Lark and Christine Harvey have applied for "permission in principle" for a new residential development comprising up to four open market houses on land east of their property, Pete-a-Chris, in the Clay Country village of High Street, near St Austell.

The plans say: "The proposed new dwellings will be of high-quality design and constructed to a high quality finish using a combination of modern and traditional materials. Whilst no detailed plans have been provided at this permission in principle stage, the applicant's intention is for the properties to be designed with renewable energy in mind, such as PV cells, high levels of insulation, efficient heating, and solar gain to reduce the carbon footprint of the properties. Essentially, the properties will be able to operate with very little heating."

Changes to listed former chapel, near Truro

CAD Heritage has been appointed by Mr and Mrs Klimek, owners of Chapel House, Porth Kea, near Truro, to provide heritage consultancy and planning services in relation to an application for consent for variances to a previously approved conversion of the Grade II listed former Methodist chapel and Sunday school, including some works already carried out.

The chapel was built in 1869 and extended in 1877. The permitted residential conversion of the chapel was partly completed by the time the current applicants acquired the site in July 2002. The conversion was then completed, with some deviation from approved plans, over the following decade.

The application states: "Whilst different from the previous approval, the completed scheme has been executed with great care and provides a higher quality design solution. Whilst it includes a number of substantial differences to the originally approved scheme, the executed conversion is considered to secure all the same conservation objectives, with the added benefit of a number of enhancements to the earlier scheme."