Need a planning consultant in Cornwall?

Planning Consultant Cornwall

Cornwall faces planning and development challenges arising from a combination of factors: it is a tourist destination, it has a low-wage seasonal economy, a resident population needing homes, and areas of protected coastline and countryside.

While there are many constraints to development, Cornwall Council’s housing strategy is to make better use of existing homes and buildings, revitalise town centres and build well-designed homes to meet local needs.

If you have a challenging development project in Cornwall, engaging the services of planning consultants might provide the expert insight you need to help you secure planning permission. This article investigates the role of planning consultants before looking at Cornwall Council’s planning policy and then showcases work by five planning consultancies in the county.

Advantages of Using a Planning Consultant

Having expert knowledge of the planning process and working closely with local authorities means that they can:

• Make the process of applying for and obtaining planning permission efficient.
• Identify development potential and provide strategic advice.
• Draw up and submit planning applications.
• Streamline the planning process, saving time and costs by ensuring the correct documentation is in place.
• Use their negotiation skills in discussions with the local authority.  
• Provide advice on listed building consent or permitted development rights.

Services Offered by Planning Consultants include:

• Development appraisal.
• Feasibility studies.
• Preparation of pre-applications and submission of planning applications.
• Specific expertise, for example with heritage or listed building projects.
• Ecology and arboriculture reports.
• Compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Planning appeals.

Development in Cornwall

Cornwall County Council’s 2024 development plan aims to foster sustainable growth while protecting the county’s natural beauty and coastline. The main goals include providing affordable housing, supporting local businesses, and improving infrastructure, particularly transport and renewable energy. From 2024 to 2035, Cornwall plans to build around 30,000 new homes with a focus on environmentally sensitive development, reducing carbon emissions, and enhancing public spaces.

The council is prioritising green infrastructure, public transport, and carefully managed tourism to ensure the stunning coastline and countryside are preserved for future generations while meeting housing needs and supporting growth.

Development is targeted at Truro and Newquay, where new housing and mixed-use developments are planned to accommodate local population growth and increased tourism. New homes, commercial spaces, and community facilities are planned to boost the local economy while maintaining Cornwall’s unique character.

Two major development schemes include the Langarth Garden Village near Truro, which will deliver thousands of new homes, schools, and parks, and the Spaceport Cornwall project, which aims to make Newquay a hub for the UK’s growing space industry.

Stunning Schemes Masterminded by Five Planning Consultancies in Cornwall

Situ8 Planning Consultancy

Founded in 2006, this award-winning planning consultancy works closely with local communities and has positive links with council officers, parish and town councils. Situ8 offers a full planning service, including strategic planning, regeneration strategies, planning applications and presentations for planning committees, and works on housing, leisure, commercial and highways projects.

A redundant barn was converted in this scheme to provide a home and base for the clients’ building business. Situ8 established that the barn could be converted without harming the building’s character, and a scheme was created to provide a family home along with an office, meeting space, and workshop.

Laurence Associates

Working on residential and commercial property schemes, this experienced team of chartered planners, architects, designers, and landscape architects offers a fully integrated approach to projects. Based in Truro, Laurence Associates has a track record of success in securing planning permission for challenging sites and enjoys chartered practice status with the Royal Town Planning Institute.

Laurence Associates worked on this scheme to revitalise a tired 1960s split-level bungalow to create a contemporary exterior and reconfigure the internal space. Working with the Cornwall Local Plan and the Feock Neighbourhood Development Plan, which focus on high-quality design that enhances the landscape and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the scheme involved a rear dormer clad in zinc, changes to create open plan living, dining, and kitchen space, conversion of a garage into a games room, and a cantilevered glass balustrade and balcony area. Materials used included cedar cladding and Cornish stone.

Cornwall Planning Group

Specialising in bespoke, contemporary designs, Cornwall Planning Group works on residential and commercial projects across the country. It provides consultancy services for a variety of planning needs, including feasibility assessments, prior approvals, planning applications, environmental statements, appeals and local plan representation. Based in Hayle in Cornwall, the practice also offers architectural services and has in-house renewable energy experts.

At an early stage of a planning application for a barn conversion, planning consultants realised the potential to design a very special scheme for a family home at this property in Camborne. They created a home that captures the rustic charm of a barn conversion while blending in modern functionality. The design features timber cladding and high-quality materials to ensure longevity.

CAD Architects

This long-established practice has worked on schemes from cottage extensions to waterfront regeneration projects; it has won awards for sustainable housing projects and works on developments across the UK. As well as offering planning consultancy, their services include architectural and building design work, planning applications, heritage consultancy, and development consultancy. Based in Truro, this practice puts sustainable and eco-friendly design to the fore and understands Cornwall’s unique architectural heritage.

CAD Architects designed this stunning barn extension and alteration scheme.

Red Planning

With many years of experience working across the south west for local authorities, homeowners, and private clients, Red Planning can deal with projects from feasibility studies and planning applications through to construction. Their typical projects include land promotion, project management, large-scale planning applications, community consultation, planning appeals and land acquisitions.

This application site for a single dwelling faced several challenges: it lay on the edge of a village, within a World Heritage Site, and close to a conservation area. The scheme was resisted by the planning officer, parish council and World Heritage Site officer. Red Planning made changes to the design and materials and the revised scheme achieved consent.

Find the Right Planning Consultancy

While this article has outlined the advantages of engaging planning consultants to advise on the best approach, it will not guarantee success with complex planning applications.

However, hiring a Cornwall team with experience in projects like yours will give you the best chance of obtaining planning permission. Whether you have specific planning needs such as advice on listed building consent, or want to utilise their negotiation skills, it will help if the consultant that you choose is used to working closely with the relevant local authority.