PROPOSALS that could see the introduction of a new Co-Op convenience store in St Minver have been put before Cornwall Council’s planning department.

The plans would see alterations and extensions to an existing café and retail unit to form a convenience store on Rock Road in St Minver if it is approved.

Presently, it is a disused building having most recently played host to Lewis’s Deli and Coffee Shop but Barkwell Properties Ltd, the owner of the building has submitted the application which would also see the removal of a residential accommodation above the shop that was previously designated as a property for a manager.

Documents submitted as part of the planning application confirmed further details of the applicant’s intentions, stating: “The existing roof would be removed and replaced with a shallow pitch gable roof form.

“This work is necessary to provide a uniform floor to ceiling height within the tradeable floor area, which enables the end user to install shelving and fridge/freezers in a standardised layout.

“At the front of the building, the existing extensions would be replaced with a new flat roof extension with a uniform height across the site frontage.

“To the rear of the building, a new extension would be formed to link the existing lean-to extension to the garage building.

“The existing pitched garage roof would be replaced with a flat roof to improve head height.

“As part of the development, the external elevations of the entire building would be updated, including the removal of surplus windows and the formation of a new shop front.

“The design and appearance of the new building has been informed by the local distinctiveness of the area and the policies set out within the development plan.

“In particular, the development incorporates a gable roof form with a traditional material palate of render and slate roof tiles, which responds positively to the local vernacular.”

Multiple changes to the proposals have been made since a pre-application advice enquiry response was issued by Cornwall Council.

The council’s planners had said that they were disappointed that the plans would see the loss of an existing slate roof – but in the finalised plans a natural slate roof would be incorporated into the building.

Other work had gone into avoiding overlooking of the scheme, with the final scheme’s height reduced by 300 millimetres to further minimise the impact on occupiers of the neighbouring properties.

The applicant’s planning agent also explained why it was seeking to get rid of the accommodation above the shop. It stated:” The existing plans have been updated to show the layout of the manager’s accommodation. The plans show that the flat is not self-contained with access only available via the manager’s office. In addition, the existing kitchen is provided on the ground floor next to the staircase.

It would be impossible to retain this arrangement and provide a convenience store. Aside from this, the convenience store does not require manager’s accommodation.”

There has been an objection to the plans, with Mr Steve Dryden requesting the following from Cornwall Council: “I ask that the plan be amended for the following;-

“ Plant location - today the plant is located on the flat roof at the front of the building, the planned layout should be amended to move the plant from the back of the site to the front as the noise will be an intrusion on the neighbouring properties.

“The plant noise Impact assessment is misleading - the background readings have been taken from the middle of Rock Road - easily the busiest part of the site vs the noise impact point being the middle of the lane opposite TinTin.

“The plan has also reduced the outside noise to internal noise impact by 50% (30db to 15db) through an open window - with the summer heat windows are fully open, no such reduction will occur and the plant will be operating at maximum capacity.

“Delivery timing - for safety the vehicles will have reversing alarms so the delivery timing needs to be reduced from 7am-9pm and 6-10am to 8am-9pm for all vehicle types.

“There needs to be a solid fence between the delivery access lane/delivery area and the access lane that runs past TinTin and up to Samphire Place/Lyonesse Lane to reduce delivery noise and contain any waste delivery packaging.”

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

The full plans are available to view on the Cornwall Council planning portal using reference PA26/04508.