TWO Tamar Valley homeowners have been given permission to knock down properties and rebuild on the same sites.

At Quackers Farm near Harrowbarrow, an application to demolish the existing residential building and construct a new house has been approved, despite the fact that the new house will be “much bigger” than the previous.

Cornwall Local Plan policy states that replacement dwellings in the open countryside should be of a similar size and scale to the existing building.

Explaining the approval, planning officer Ellen Lawrence said: “The proposed increase is considered acceptable when regarding the impact within the wider surrounding area.

“The proposed plan shows how the replacement dwelling will relate to the existing stables and barn. The siting between the two is considered good as it will help to minimise the impact on the wider landscape. The use of timber and natural materials is encouraged and will help to minimise the impact within the landscape.

“Furthermore the increase in height allows for a better standard of internal living arrangements.”

Calstock Parish Council said that they had supported the application after some discussion around whether it contravened the Local Plan – but wished it to be noted that the footprint of the proposed dwelling appeared much larger than the original.

Meanwhile at Higher Downgate, an application for a self-build property with unanimous support from Stoke Climsland Parish Council was given the go-ahead by planning officer Georgia Rowe.

A previous application in 2016 for two houses on the same site was refused and dismissed at appeal – but at the time, the inspector concluded that the proposal “was in a suitable location for new residential development” and that it “would not result in material harm to the character and appearance of the surrounding area”.

Land contamination issues had been addressed as part of the appeal process, said the planning officer.