Strategic Planning Committee - 20 August 2026

Name: Strategic Planning Committee — 2026-08-20
Start: 2026-08-20
End: 2026-08-20
Location: Cornwall Council, County Hall

Strategic Planning Committee·2026-08-20

View original minutes on ModernGov

Key Takeaways

•The Strategic Planning Committee considered a wind farm repowering application with new 150m turbines, facing opposition over landscape harm and the recent NPPF update that officers said still allowed a decision.
•The Dobwalls housing application for over 300 homes in six years was debated, with councillors citing infrastructure strain, school and doctor capacity, and landscape harm as reasons for refusal.
•Public speakers and parish councils spoke both for and against each application, with concerns about cumulative development and agricultural land loss highlighted for the Dobwalls site.
•The committee noted the appeals update and received officer clarification that planning processes were correctly followed despite the updated NPPF.

AI-Generated Summary

This summary was generated by AI and may contain errors. Read the full minutes for the official record.

The Strategic Planning Committee of Cornwall Council met on a date following 16 July 2026. The meeting began with the approval of the previous meeting’s minutes, moved by Councillor Long and seconded by the Vice-Chairman. No declarations of interest were made.

The first major application considered was a proposal to repower an existing wind farm with 150m turbines. The Principal Development Officer recommended approval with conditions. Public speakers and the Electoral Division Member, Councillor O’Connor, spoke against the application, citing conflicts with the newly updated National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), landscape harm under policy RLU 14, and duties under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. Officers confirmed the updated NPPF had been addressed in an addendum report and that a decision could be made. After debate, the Committee voted to approve the application, with conditions.

The second application concerned a residential development of 55 affordable homes in Dobwalls. The Group Leader recommended delegated authority to approve, subject to conditions and a Section 106 Agreement. The Electoral Division Member, Councillor Pascoe, and a parish council representative spoke against the application, citing strain on infrastructure, loss of agricultural land, and landscape harm. Officers provided clarification on policy context and planning history. Following debate, the Committee voted to refuse the application.

The meeting also noted information on planning appeals. No further decisions or matters were recorded.