A PROPOSAL to develop seven apartments at the Coach House and former chapel of rest in Looe is currently being considered by Cornwall Council.

Mr. Robert Hodgson of Stormseal SW Ltd has applied to Cornwall Council to demolish the late-19th century coach house, located at The Millpool, West Looe, currently serving as a garage, and replace it with seven apartments.

The proposals are a down-scaling from a previous pre-application request which had intended for 12 properties on the site after the pre-application advice issued by Cornwall Council indicated that the number of properties previously proposed may be excessive and should be shown to be consistent with other developments in the area.

The proposed development will also feature eight parking spaces for residents of the development comprising seven standard spaces and a disabled space in addition to eight secure storage spaces for bicycles.

The seven apartments would comprise six two-bedroomed units and one four-bedroom penthouse.

It is believed that the coach house which would be demolished to allow the works was built circa 1888. However, the developers argue that very little remains of the original building, while a heritage statement suggests that the building is of little evidential, historical, aesthetic, or communal value.

They add: "The building has been much altered over the years and very little remains of the original fabric.

T"he proposed new apartments will provide high-quality accommodation for permanent residents of Looe.

"They have been designed to respond to the topography of the site and the unique character of the Millpool setting with its gabled terraces rising up a wooded slope.”

The Public Protection Contaminated Land Planning Consultations team noted in their response to the application that as the site is within the confines of an old gas works and has also been used previously for industrial uses, there is a moderate risk of land contamination, with the team concluding in their response to the consultation: “The site is situated within the confines of an old gas works, there are many possible contaminants that can be present on these sites can include the following: the metals including semimetals: As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, Ni, V, Zn, inorganic chemicals: CN-free, CN- Complex, SO42-, S2-, Asbestos, pH, So, Key contaminants: Phenol, Aromatic hydrocarbons, other contaminants are Ammonium compounds, oil/fuel hydrocarbons. Further information can be found in the NHBC guidance R and D 66, particularly the appendices. It is likely that a full suite of metals, TPH, PAH, BTEX, VOCs, and SVOCs will need to be assessed. Any development works on site has the possibility of mobilising contaminants.

“A Phase II site investigation will be required upfront for this application in order to assess the viability of the proposal. Remediation costs can be high on small-scale developments. An informed decision on the suitability of the site for the proposed use cannot currently be made; we are unable therefore to support acceptance of this application at this stage unless further information is submitted.”

The Trustees of Looe Development Trust also raised an objection to the proposals, with Mr. Malcolm Garrington saying on their behalf that the trust objected to the proposals on the grounds of the stability of the land, overdevelopment, impact on light and privacy, pedestrian access, low need for the development, vehicular access and the change of use from a site offering employment to residential amenity.

The full planning application can be viewed on the Cornwall Council planning portal under PA23/00101.