THERE were cheers and applause after a Cornwall Council planning committee unanimously refused to grant permission to a controversial housing development.

Plans for 27 homes to be built on land off Antron Way in Mabe Burnthouse went before the council’s west sub-area planning committee this morning with standing room only due to a large number of local residents packing the meeting room.

The application came before the committee last year but was deferred so that a public meeting could be held to hear the concerns of locals.

That meeting saw dozens of people questioning the need for affordable homes, the safety of roads leading to the site and whether the development could lead to the closure of the nearby Trenoweth Quarry.

There were concerns that residents of the new homes could complain about noise from the quarry and then it could be forced to close.

The planning committee was told that planning officers were recommending the plans for approval, saying that while they had listened to concerns raised they did not outweigh the benefits of the scheme.

Under the proposals applicants Helford Atlantic had wanted to build 27 homes, of which 17 (63%) would be affordable homes with a mix of affordable rent and shared ownership.

Planning officer Chantal McLennan said that while the site was on a greenfield site it was considered to be an exception site due to the amount of affordable homes proposed.

A spokesman on behalf of residents accused the planning officers of not listening to the concerns of locals and not addressing them in their assessment of the application.

He said: “The detrimental impact clearly outweighs the benefits.”

Another speaker, representing Tim Marsh, who operates the quarry, gave examples of comments from people who were concerned about the impact the development could have on the quarry.

One was quoted saying: “I am amazed that the building is being given any consideration so close to the quarry.

“It would be an act of economic and cultural vandalism to allow this development so close to the quarry.”

Mabe Parish Council also objected to the proposals and raised concerns about the impact on local roads and the safety of people in the new homes being able to use walkways from the site.

The council also disputed the need for more affordable homes in the village. They added: “It is not supported by Mabe in any way.”

A spokesman for the applicants disputed claims about the impact on the quarry saying that the minerals permissions in place would mean that it could not be closed due to complaints as long as it operated within the existing permitted guidelines.

The spokesman was jeered and said at one point that he was being “heckled” by the objecting residents. This brought committee chairman Mark Kaczmarek to warn the objectors to allow others to speak and warned that people would be asked to leave if they interjected.

To the sound of scoffs from the public gallery the spokesman claimed that the developers had been contacted by people in Mabe who are in need of affordable homes and want to move into the new development.

Cornwall councillor for Mabe Peter Williams did not attend the planning committee meeting.

Independent councillor Bert Biscoe did speak saying there was a need to protect quarries and said Trenoweth had “some of the finest granite in the world”.

He said that if it had been a building then it would be listed and protected from such development nearby.

Cllr Kaczmarek thanked all those who attended the meeting and also thanked the planning officers for their work on the application.

He proposed that the application should be refused due to the scale of development in open countryside and due to the “unacceptable harm” it would cause to the countryside.

The proposal was supported unanimously by the committee and welcomed with cheers and applause from the public gallery and people calling out: “We did it!”