Couple's plan to rebuild 'ruin' in countryside to look after their animals rejected
Dave Valentine and his wife had submitted a planning application to build a two-storey home on the site of a former agriculture building near Liskeard
Richard WhitehouseLocal Democracy Reporter
Council officials sad they saw no evidence of animals on the land near Liskeard where the couple said they needed a home so they could look after their livestock (Image: Pxhere)
A couple's desperate bid to continue living on land where they want to farm has been rejected for a second time after plans to rebuild a "ruin" were refused.
Dave Valentine and his wife had submitted a planning application to build a two-storey home on the site of a former agriculture building off Charaton Road in Pensilva, near Liskeard.
It was the second time the couple had come before Cornwall Council's east sub-area planning committee hoping to secure a home on the land.
Earlier this year their plans to continue living in their caravan were rejected - the couple had claimed they needed to live on the land to look after their livestock but council planning officers said they could find no evidence of animals on the land.
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This time the couple had applied to convert a former agricultural building into a two-bedroom home, but planning officers showed the committee photos which showed that all that remained of the building were four walls which the planning officer said came up to his chest.
Officers told the councillors that if the existing structure was considered to be a "building" then its conversion could be supported but if it was no more than a "ruin" then it would be considered to be a new house in the open countryside which could not be justified.
The planning officers stated in their report that they considered it to be a ruin and so recommended refusal.
Officers were also concerned about the access to the property saying that it was a "lost lane" which had been reclaimed by nature and so there would be an adverse impact on wildlife.
Mr Valentine told the committee that the building had been two-storey in its original form and that he wanted to restore it. He also claimed that the access road was usable and just needed "to be tidied up".
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The couple are continuing to live in their caravan, which they do not have permission for, and Mr Valentine claimed he had been told by a council officer that if he did not get planning permission for the new application then enforcement action would be taken to remove them from the site.
Mr Valentine claimed that he had been doing agricultural work in the area and that he needed to live on the site. He said that his wife was undertaking a horticultural course.
Committee member Barry Jordan said he had "great sympathy for the couple".
He added: "I can see no reason for refusing this. I think we need to be a little bit more sympathetic."
He proposed that it should be approved, which was seconded by Councillor Neil Burden.
But when put to the vote the proposal was lost with six votes in favour and eight against.
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A proposal to refuse planning permission was then put forward and agreed with eight votes in favour and six against.