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- National planning policy
- NPPF
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- Truro
Cornwall: the planning picture
Most garden applications in Cornwall turn on a handful of reports. A tree survey shows which trees must be protected. An ecology report covers wildlife and how the scheme meets biodiversity net gain rules. Drainage information matters too, since every new home needs a drainage plan the council will want to see. An access note covers drive width, visibility and fire strategy. Ordering the right surveys at the right time avoids both wasted spend and delays partway through, and a plot with no nearby trees or wildlife interest may need far fewer reports than you expect.
Planning authorities covering Cornwall include Cornwall Council.
How it works
Free plot appraisal
We review the title plan, access, constraints, policy and planning history around your address, then talk it through with you. If the plot looks viable we visit, and tell you plainly whether an application is worth making.
Surveys and design
A measured survey comes first, followed by the specialist surveys the plot needs, such as trees or ecology. The layout is designed around access, privacy, daylight, parking, bins and garden space for both homes.
Pre-application advice
Where policy is tight or the plot unusual, we put a draft scheme to the council’s planners first. Their written response shows which issues to fix before you pay the full application fee.
Submit and manage
We complete the forms, ownership certificate, drawings and statements, pay the fee on your behalf and submit. During consultation we answer officers’ questions, respond to consultees and agree amendments where they help.
Decision and next steps
If permission is granted, we explain every condition and what must happen before work starts. If it’s refused, we review the reasons with you and set out the options: amend and resubmit, appeal, or stop.
Garden plot planning in towns across Cornwall
Questions about garden plot planning in Cornwall
What drainage information do Cornwall garden plots need?
For a new home, foul drainage must connect to a sewer or a suitable treatment system, and rainwater has to be handled on site. In practice that means a drainage plan the council will want to see. If a public sewer crosses the plot, the water company may also need a build-over agreement, separate from planning.
Who decides planning appeals for Cornwall garden plots?
In England, appeals go to the Planning Inspectorate; in Wales, to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales. Either way, an appeal against a refusal must be made within 6 months of the decision date. An appeal is decided on the planning merits by someone independent of the council, and it usually takes several months.
Do you prepare planning applications for garden plots across Cornwall?
Yes. We offer to prepare and manage planning applications for new homes on garden land throughout Cornwall, working with whichever council covers your address. The appraisal is free; our fee for the application work is agreed in writing before we start, with the council’s fee and any specialist surveys listed separately.
Which council decides planning for a garden plot in Cornwall?
The council for your address decides. The planning authorities covering Cornwall include Cornwall Council. Each judges applications against its own Local Plan and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), together with its design guidance. We prepare and submit the application and deal with the council’s questions, but the decision is always the council’s, never ours.