A PLAN to build 46 houses on land off an industrial estate in Callington was given the thumbs down by councillors at a meeting of the town council’s planning committee on Tuesday, due to the access onto the busy A390 being deemed dangerous.

The application was for outline planning permission for a residential devel-opment of 46 dwellings on land at Moss Side.

The site extends to around 2.3 hectares over a single green field and the applicants said the scheme would have a ‘comparatively low density’ of 20 dwellings per hectare which would provide a semi-rural transition between the town and surrounding open area. Of the 46 houses, 30% would be allocated as affordable housing.

Callington town councillors’ views were split on the application as the site was originally allocated for employment land in the former Caradon Local Plan.

Agent for the applicant Holly Nicholls said: ‘We are promoting an alternative type of development. The employment allocation originally placed on the land is now 17 years-old and we don’t think it’s sustainable to retain the employment allocation on this site into the future.

‘The plan is an indicative one and was formulated to respond to a need for housing in Callington.’

Mr Rowe, who lives in Florence Road adjacent to the site, said he was not opposed to the progression of building houses on the site but was concerned about the access onto the A390 saying that there were enough accidents on that road as it was.

Another resident voiced the same concerns that adding another junction onto the A390 would make the road worse.

Cllr Mark Smith, who works as a firefighter in the area, said: ‘I’ve attended at least six accidents on that road in the last two years. My biggest concern is that we’ve got two industrial sites within the area — Moss Side and Kelly Bray — and Kelly Bray is at capacity.

‘If we close this one off we will be giving the impression that we are not prepared to support industry or commerce. There are many sites in Callington where housing can be sited but very few where we can put commercial buildings.’

Cllr Andrew Long said: ‘There is pressure on us as a council and on Cornwall Council to build houses. Whatever you believe the population figures are going to be in 20 years time, it’s not going to be less than it is now. But there is also pressure on us to ensure suitable structure for economic growth.’

Cllr Phil Harriman, chair of the planning committee, said: ‘The land is designated as commercial land but for 17 years no-one has wished to build on it. In my mind there appears to still be a lot of employment land at the back of Ginsters that has not been built on yet. Cornwall Council says we need housing, however, on this plan, the access is poor and it needs looking at.’

Cllr Jeremy Gist proposed that he was not against the principle of the plan but looking at the application in the form that it was presented to them at the meeting, he had to recommend refusal on the basis of the access.

Councillors voted five for refusal, two against and two councillors abstained from voting.