The East Sub-Area Planning Committee of Cornwall Council met on Tuesday 1 September 2026. The committee resolved to re-elect Councillor Parsons as Chairman and Councillor Gibbons as Vice-Chairman for the 2026/27 municipal year. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 11 May 2026 were confirmed and signed. The primary decision was the approval of a planning application for the conversion of a barn at East Trewarlett Farm. The committee also received an appeals report for information.

Planning Application Approved for East Trewarlett Farm

The committee approved the conversion of a barn at East Trewarlett Farm, Lezant, Launceston, Cornwall PL15 9LY into a two-bedroom family home. The application, PA26/02309, was brought before the committee with an officer recommendation for refusal.

Councillor Adrian Parsons, the Electoral Division Member for the application, spoke in favour of the proposal. He highlighted that the applicant currently lived on site and made a valuable contribution to the local community. Councillor Parsons also referenced the housing emergency declared in Cornwall in 2022, stating that this application would create a modest family home. He noted an increasing number of agricultural buildings being put forward for conversion and pointed to three similar applications that had been granted planning approval. Councillor Parsons argued that the proposal was for a modest conversion that would make the best use of existing structures with minimal changes and minimal adverse impacts on the landscape.

Officers clarified that while the housing emergency was a consideration, the proposal was located in the open countryside and not well-related to a settlement. They stated that there were no policies to support approval and that the application did not propose a live/work unit or agricultural worker's dwelling, making it unlikely that a functional need to live at the site could be demonstrated.

During the debate, members discussed the Accommodation Space and Amenity Guidance Standards, noting they were for guidance only. Some members found it difficult to identify valid planning policy reasons for approval, while others felt the perceived harm to the landscape was insubstantial due to minimal external changes. The domestic paraphernalia associated with a residence was also discussed, with the view that it would likely already be present as the family was currently living on site. The proposal was seen by some as providing much-needed housing for the family and therefore deserving of support.

Ultimately, by a vote of 8 in favour, 1 against, and no abstentions, the committee resolved to approve the application subject to five conditions. These conditions included a timeframe for commencement of development, adherence to approved plans, restrictions on permitted development rights to allow the council to assess future impacts, requirements for an approved external lighting scheme to minimise light pollution and impact on protected species, and the implementation of ecological mitigation and enhancement measures for bats and barn owls.

The reasons provided for approving the application were that it represented a suitable re-use of an existing building and that the limited landscape and visual harm would be outweighed by the benefits of providing an additional home, in line with Policy 7 of the Cornwall Local Plan and Policy HO11 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Withdrawn Planning Application

An item regarding application PA25/08501 for Mr Jones at Lidcott, Laneast, Launceston, Cornwall, which was listed on the agenda, had been withdrawn prior to the meeting.

Appeals Report Received

The committee received an appeals report for information, which was noted by members.

The meeting also included the re-election of Councillor Parsons as Chairman and Councillor Gibbons as Vice-Chairman for the 2026/27 municipal year. The emergency evacuation and domestic procedures were also advised, and no declarations of interest were made by councillors. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 11 May 2026 were also confirmed and signed.