Councillors have given the go ahead for the redevelopment of a former Methodist church which is set to pave the way for the erection of affordable homes nearby. Members of Caradon District Council's planning committee last week granted permission for the creation of a children's centre on the site of the Barbican Methodist Church in Looe, despite a recommendation from planning officers that it should be refused. Officers were concerned about unsympathetic design and overlooking problems for the nearby manse. Besides providing Looe and district integrated county council children's services, including health and counselling, the centre is to be the new home for the Barbican pre-school. A knock-on benefit will be the provision of 13 new affordable homes on the present pre-school site, and the existing toddlers' play area will be relocated nearby with new equipment. The planning committee heard that the Methodist church was not concerned by overlooking from the extension, which could be solved by screening. Helena Jaycock, chairman of the Barbican pre- school group, spoke to the planning committee in favour of the application and stressed that the survival of the group depended on their finding a new building. Looe and St Martin cllr Brian Galipeau, proposing approval of the scheme, told the committee that the scheme ticked all the boxes save for two problems that had been raised by planners. He said that overlooking could be solved by screening, and disagreed with their verdict on design. He considered that the plans for the development of the site showed an improvement on what was currently provided and, in particular, the surrounding area would be tidied up. Cllr Armand Toms also spoke in favour of the plan and stressed its importance for local children, and the much-needed affordable housing. Cllr Galipeau said: 'Some while ago the mayor spoke with the Methodist church authorities and urged them to consider community use for the building. 'Since then a lot of people from many organisations have worked hard to make this scheme possible. It has had great support from local people and now we can get on and build it.'