- Planning authority
- Cornwall Council
- Postcodes
- TR18, TR20
- Noon sun, 21 March
- About 40°
- Shadow from a 5 m eaves line
- About 6.0 m
- Planning plan
- Local Plan
- County
- Cornwall
What the council will look at in Penzance
Sometimes the best scheme in Penzance takes in more than one garden. If your plot is short of access or depth, a feasibility study can test a combined layout with the gardens next door, as well as yours alone. We cover Penzance and nearby places such as Camborne, Redruth and Falmouth, and in each case we show the owners how one shared access could serve several homes. Whether Cornwall Council would support it depends on the design, the effect on the street and its policies.
From first call to decision
Getting a straight answer about a garden plot in Penzance costs nothing at the first stage. Send us a few photos and a rough idea of the plot, or call, and we’ll check it from the desk. If it’s not worth pursuing, we’ll say so and explain why. If it is, we’ll set out the next steps and their cost in writing.
Free plot appraisal
A desktop look at your plot, access, title plan and the planning picture, plus a conversation about what you want. If it looks viable we visit. There’s no cost and no obligation at this stage.
Survey and constraints check
A measured survey of the plot and its surroundings, then a check of the title, services, trees, flood risk and heritage designations, so the design starts from facts rather than guesses.
Access and capacity study
We test each workable route in and the number, size and position of homes the plot could hold, against separation distances, garden space, parking, bins and daylight for neighbours.
Concept designs and pre-application
Sketch layouts and simple elevations for the strongest options. Where it will help, we take one to the council for pre-application advice before anything is submitted.
Worth checking early
- Pre-application advice is not binding, and the council’s decision on a formal application can still differ.
- Some ecology surveys can only be done at certain times of year, which can affect the programme.
- A capacity figure is not a value; what a plot is worth depends on location, size, access and planning.
Penzance: questions to ask
Can you check the title deeds on my Penzance property?
Yes. We obtain the title register and title plan from HM Land Registry and read them for restrictive covenants, rights of way, easements and any mortgage charge. If something needs a legal opinion, we flag it so your solicitor can advise. Title issues are far better found during feasibility than halfway through a planning application or a sale.
How much does a feasibility study cost in Penzance?
It depends on the plot. A simple garden with a clear drive needs less work than one with protected trees, a flood zone or a complicated title. The first appraisal is free. After that we set out the scope and the price in writing, and you choose whether to go ahead before anything is commissioned.
How many homes could fit in my garden in Penzance?
That is what a capacity study answers. It tests options against separation distances from neighbours, garden space for each home, parking, bins and access, as well as the policies Cornwall Council applies. For many gardens the answer is one home; larger or combined plots can sometimes take more. We show the options on drawings so you can see why.
Do I have to use you for planning after a feasibility study in Penzance?
No. The survey, report and concept designs are yours to use as you choose. You can take the scheme forward with us, through our planning permission or design and build services, or sell or partner on the plot with us, or use another firm. We would rather you made the decision that suits you.
Other options in Penzance
- Sell subject to planning
- Build a new home in your garden
- Large rear gardens
- Planning permission for a garden plot
- Combine gardens with your neighbours
- Joint venture on your garden plot