A new home can be built in a green field in Cornwall, despite planners' objections.

Cornwall councillors have approved plans for a new home to be built in a green field in the open countryside despite planning officers saying it would go against planning policy, writes Richard Whitehouse, Local Democracy Reporter.

Will Wood had applied for outline planning permission to build the property on land at Penrose, St Ervan.

Planning officers had recommended that the application be refused saying that the site is part of a field and could not be considered to be rounding-off the settlement of Penrose.

They said that it was in open countryside and would “harm the natural and distinctive character and appearance of this landscape”.

However, the council’s east sub area planning committee granted planning permission, adding a condition that the property can only be used by someone with an agricultural tie.

Mr Wood told the committee that he had lived in the parish and neighbouring parish his whole life and works full time in the agricultural industry. He explained that the land where he wanted to build the three to four-bedroom house had been in his family for four generations.

He said: “I consider myself a countryman and feel it is natural progression to get planning permission to build a family home in the village.”

Mr Wood, 27, said that rising house prices had made it “extremely difficult” for him to be able to buy a home in the area and highlighted that a property sold in the area for £235,000 in 2019 was now valued at £370,000.

He said that objectors had raised concerns about further development in the area should planning permission be granted but said that he did not think he should miss out on his chance to build a home due to other people’s fears.

St Ervan Parish Council had supported Mr Wood’s application and chairman Roger Biddick said that councillors felt that there were no issues with the proposals.

He added: “We seem to be an ageing population in the parish. Here we have a young man whose family has lived in the parish for generations. He wants to live in the parish. Why should we not give him that opportunity?”

Local Cornwall councillor Stephen Rushworth also supported Mr Wood’s plans and said that he considered that the development would be rounding-off the settlement and said that there were no other opportunities to build properties in the village.

Committee member John Fitter said that he was “regretfully” unable to support the application because the site was in the open countryside. He said that it would be “very dangerous” to grant permission as it would go against council policy.

Barry Jordan proposed that the application should be supported saying that “we need to be supporting our young people”.

He added: “There is no affordable housing. I don’t care what people say. There is no affordable housing in Cornwall at all. It is all out of reach for people here.”

Dominic Fairman said that people offering specialist services to the agriculture industry were “essential” and suggested that if the property had an agricultural tie – so the resident had to work in the industry – then it could be supported.

A proposal to approve the application adding a condition that the property could only be used by someone working in agriculture was carried with nine votes in favour, one against and no abstentions.