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Cornwall: the planning picture
Councils across Cornwall tend to look harder at a separate home in a back garden than at an annexe linked to the main house. A separate dwelling has to stand on its own, with its own garden, parking, bins and fire engine access (or other measures, often sprinklers, agreed with building control and the fire service where a fire engine can’t get close enough). An annexe usually needs less, but the council will want to see that it really will be used with the house, and will normally add a condition to keep it that way. The shape, width and access of your plot usually decide which case is stronger.
Planning authorities covering Cornwall include Cornwall Council.
How it works
Free plot appraisal
We look at your plot, access and the planning picture from the desk, talk through who will live in the new home, and visit if it looks viable. There’s no cost and no obligation.
Annexe or separate home
We set out both routes for your plot, covering what each means for planning, ownership, council tax, CIL and VAT, so you can decide with your family and advisers before design starts.
Survey and design
A measured survey, then a design built around the person moving in: step-free routes, a ground-floor bedroom if needed and privacy for both households. You get a written quote after design and survey.
Planning and approvals
We prepare and submit the planning application and manage it with the council, which makes the decision. Before work starts, approval under the Building Regulations is in place and any CIL exemption has been claimed.
Build and handover
We build while you carry on living next door, with access, deliveries and working hours agreed up front. At handover you get the completion certificate and the paperwork you’ll need for council tax, lenders and any VAT claim.
Family home in your garden in towns across Cornwall
Questions about family home in your garden in Cornwall
Do councils in Cornwall allow annexes for elderly parents?
They can, where the annexe is clearly linked to the main house and the plot can take it without harming neighbours or the character of the area. Each council decides its own applications against its local policies, so what is acceptable on one street may not be on another. Councils covering Cornwall include Cornwall Council.
How long does planning take for an annexe in Cornwall?
Usually a few months from a valid application, though it varies between councils and with how many changes are needed. Applications that draw objections or need extra reports take longer. Pre-application advice adds time at the start but often saves it later by flagging problems before you apply.
What rules apply to a family home in Cornwall?
National policy in England sets the framework through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Each council then applies its own Local Plan policies, along with the council’s design guide or supplementary planning document where relevant. The building must also meet the Building Regulations, and you need to plan for fire engine access (or other measures, often sprinklers, agreed with building control and the fire service where a fire engine can’t get close enough). If the home is for an older relative, it is worth designing to a higher access standard from the start.
How long does planning take for a garden plot in Cornwall?
The council usually has eight weeks from validation to decide a small application, though extensions are often agreed, and the whole process takes longer. Surveys, design work, pre-application advice and amendments all add time, and some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year. We’ll give you a realistic timetable for your plot rather than a promise.