THE OWNER of two ‘affordable homes’ in Gunnislake is seeking council advice on whether the restriction on reselling or letting them on the open market can be removed.

Steven Crocker, who owns River Stone and Tidal Reach on Bealswood Road, has asked Cornwall Council for pre-application advice (PA25/00009/PREAPP) ‘for the variation or removal of the S106 requirement to maintain the two properties known as Tidal Reach and Riverstone, Bealswood Road, Gunnislake, as affordable dwellings’.

The properties were built on land next to ‘Deva Dell’, with a Section 106 planning agreement, dating from 2014, setting out that if the two homes were sold, this must be to a person in housing need and at no higher than 70 per cent of the open market value of the house. If they were rented, this should be at a rent that was affordable, set as 80 per cent of an open market rent.

Planning agent Ed Persse, writing on behalf of the applicant, said that since the two houses were granted planning permission in 2011, approximately 97 homes had been granted permission in the parish, as part of the St Ann’s Chapel development.

“Accordingly, given the number of affordable dwellings that have been granted recently, the applicant would like to explore the opportunity to modify or remove the affordable housing element of the associated section 106 agreement.

“In an ideal world, my client would like to remove the affordable housing restriction in its entirety, however if this is not a position the local planning authority would accept then my client would like to explore other options that may be available, such as discounted market sale, start home restriction/discount or the option of a financial contribution in lieu of the current requirements.”

The application is under consideration by Cornwall Council.