May 2025

ST HILARY  PARISH COUNCIL Meeting Friday 2^nd May 2025

ATTENDANCE

Cllrs  G Ford (Chairman), M Ryan,(V/Chairman), P Behrens, R King, W Searle, T Thomas.

APOLOGIES

Cllr M West

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

C/Cllr  J Martin

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

Nothing Raised

C/CLLR MARTINS REPORT

Not Available

DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS

Nothing Raised

MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

It was proposed by Cllr Ford and seconded by Cllr Ford that the Chairman sign the minutes circulated prior to this meeting as being a correct record of that meeting, All Agreed

CHAIRMANS REPORT

Cllr Ford  led a discussion about a proposed Solar farm at Trevarthian,Plain an Gwarry., After a full and varied discussion,  It was decided to ask Mrs Rachel Rhodda to help in compiling a landscape study, It was hoped that this meeting will take place on the 16^th May at 7pm, It was also agreed to hold an open meeting in June to further discuss this item..

PLANNING

PA24/09239, This application was discussed but it was felt that more information was required before making a decision.

NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN UPDATE

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The need to protect former Miners’ Smallholdings as one of the seven key attributes conveying universal value to the World Heritage Site and therefore a heritage asset of the highest international importance proved crucial in preventing the affordable housing scheme proposed for the former strawberry field in Relubbus Lane.  The planning inspector’s decision at the appeal reflected similar previous decisions involving proposals to build housing on such sites.  We were therefore very disappointed to see the initial weak response of the WHS Management Office to the proposal to build stables for leisure horses on a former miner’s smallholding opposite Halamanning Chapel which included a plan to create a gateway through an existing field boundary (contrary to Policy 3 of our NDP) and an extensive gravelled area.  We also, on visiting the site, found that the applicants had already installed an extremely wide double gateway and extensive gravelling including a driveway lined with griselinea shrubs and not proper Cornish Hedging.

In our response to the Council we received considerable support from Roy King who provided historical evidence and argument supporting our case.  He also wrote to the WHS Management Team explaining what had happened and that we felt a firmer response was justified.  They replied as follows:

“Dear Mr King,

Thank you for your email. As you note, there is no in-principle objection on WHS grounds to the development of stables here and also the field itself has lost some of its integrity and authenticity through previous boundary loss.

The case officer for this application Diane Boardman has contacted me with photographs taken from her site visit showing the extent of the works, which provides more detail than shown on the plans.

Having reviewed the photographs she very kindly shared with me, I have advised her that in my opinion the width of the access track and double gate arrangement seems excessive. The gates are also very exposed as they have not been “bonded” to the boundary treatment. Typically, a five-bar gate would be mounted on granite or timber gate piers that are set within an established Cornish hedge that then forms the “shoulder” to the gate.

In addition, I have noted that the hedge returns as created, are not Cornish hedges and the top planting appears to be a single row of plantings. I have suggested a Cornish hedge with an appropriate planting schedule would be more suitable here.

Finally, I cannot be certain if the hardcore area shown in photographs matches the amount shown on the plans as there are no as-built measurements to compare to the plans. Irrespective of this possible discrepancy, I have advised that an alternative cellular grid paving system would likely be a better option as a finish as it could be seeded with grass for a greener finish here.

At the present time some harm has occurred to the field through the works as undertaken, although this would be regarded as less than substantial harm and would need to be considered and balanced by the LPA as part of the overall planning assessment relating to this proposed development. Equally, there is the potential to revise the works as undertaken to a more suitable scale and form, which again the LPA will also no doubt consider in assessing these proposals.

I trust the above is helpful.

Regards,

Ben [Dancer]”

Once again this shows that Cornwall Council is not taking WHS protection sufficiently seriously and that we need to continue to raise awareness of the importance of the WHS and its protection amongst planning officers, councillors and the general public.

CIL MONEY.

This item will be discussed at the June 25 meeting

REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION

CLLR BEHRENS                   Nothing to report

CLLR KING                              Nothing to report

CLLR  THOMAS    Stated that some vehicles are using the byway 85 and are getting stuck, Could the Council get a ignore satnav sign at the start of the byway.

CLLR SEARLE                               Nothing to report

CLLR RYAN            Asked when some of the footpaths in the Parish will be cut, The Clerk replied that he will chase this up.

CLLR FORD                                    Nothing to report

The Chairman then closed the meeting at  21.55