THE owners of a cafe site at Portwrinkle have been granted conditional consent for its retention, but action is to be taken to ensure that decking around the building is removed.

Jess Earle had applied to Cornwall Council for permission for the permanent retention of the existing cafe, ventilation/extraction system, fencing and ramped access together with temporary permission for a period of six months for the retention of the existing generator and fuel tank.

Members of the council's east sub area planning committee were told on Monday that the site had been the subject of 'extensive' planning and enforcement history. This included a recently dismissed appeal against an enforcement notice relating to the fact the cafe had not been built in accordance with the approved plans.

The current application, councillors heard, sought permission for the permanent retention of the cafe, ventilation and extraction system, fencing and ramped access, together with temporary permission for a period of six months for the retention of the existing generator and fuel tank.

But a report to the committee stated that the main planning issue and cause for concern was the decking, with its associated tables and seating, balustrades and other paraphernalia, which was considered to cause significant harm to the character and appearance of the wider Area of Great Landscape Value (AGLV) and Open Area of Local Significance (OALS).

'It is considered this application, which proposes the removal of the decking, will ensure the development has an acceptable impact on the character and appearance of the AGLV and the OALS,' the report concluded.