Bodmin’s New Housing Development Skips Affordable Homes!

Image: Wain Homes Planning Application

A startling twist in the tale of Bodmin’s housing scene has emerged, as a proposed 58-home development by Wain Homes on the outskirts of the town threatens to provide zero affordable housing units. The developer has left locals baffled, citing affordability as the main reason for this unprecedented move.

Affordability Conundrum

Wain Homes, in its audacious planning application, has boldly omitted the inclusion of any affordable homes within the new housing development, arguing that such units are not economically viable. Typically, any development exceeding ten houses in size is mandated to incorporate a percentage of affordable housing.

However, in a surprising alternative, Wain Homes proposes a land swap with Cornwall Council, suggesting that instead of constructing affordable homes, the developer would relinquish land to the council for the establishment of a new primary school. This proposal, which still awaits approval by Cornwall Council planners, has raised eyebrows and generated mixed reactions from the community.

The Location: Bodmin’s Outskirts

The proposed houses would be located on the eastern side of Pandarosa Farm, St Lawrence Road in Bodmin. This site is situated on the outskirts of the town, adjacent to other housing developments already under construction.

The Developer’s Perspective

In the planning statement submitted by Emery Planning on behalf of Wain Homes, it states, “This application proposes to deliver 58 open market dwellings. The submitted Financial Viability Assessment demonstrates that, having given due regard to the revenues and costs associated with the proposed development, the development cannot provide any affordable housing.”

Community Concerns

While Wain Homes claims its initiative aligns with Cornwall Council’s housing needs, not everyone in Bodmin is convinced. The proposed development has garnered 36 objections compared to just one supportive comment. Concerns focus on the burden the expansion places on existing infrastructure, including medical services, education facilities, sewage systems, and roads. Residents fear that the rapid residential growth could lead to a strained town, lacking the necessary amenities to cater to the burgeoning population.

Despite the controversy surrounding the proposal, Wain Homes remains resolute in its bid to construct an open market housing development, free from the burden of affordable housing requirements. As the debate unfolds, Bodmin residents anxiously await the council’s decision on this extraordinary housing development plan.

Details on the planning application can be found here – https://planning.cornwall.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=S16TT9FGL7C00