- Nation
- England
- National planning policy
- NPPF
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- City
- Truro
Before you start in Cornwall
Bungalow neighbours in Cornwall are often the most sensitive to a new home next door, because their living rooms and bedrooms are all at ground level and their gardens are open to view from above. Layouts that point windows away from side boundaries, use high-level glazing where needed, and leave a good distance between buildings answer most objections. For facing back windows, a figure of around 21 metres is used by many councils, but the deciding guide is always the one your own council publishes.
Planning authorities covering Cornwall include Cornwall Council.
How it works
Free plot appraisal
We look at the plot’s width and depth, the access, the planning history nearby and the character of the street, then talk through what you want. It’s free, with no obligation, and a site visit follows if it looks viable.
Compare the options
We sketch what could realistically fit: a home behind, a home beside, or a replacement scheme. You see the trade-offs for each, including what happens to your own garden and parking, before choosing a route.
Choose your route
You can sell a plot and stay put, sell subject to planning, grant an option, enter a joint venture, or keep the land and have us design, get planning for and build a new home on it.
Planning application
We prepare drawings and reports designed around single-storey neighbours and the street scene, usually seek pre-application advice, and submit. The council consults neighbours and makes the decision.
Sale or build
If you sell, your solicitor handles the transfer and any lender release. If we build, you receive a written quote after design and survey, and the new home is built and handed over to you.
Bungalows on large plots in towns across Cornwall
Questions about bungalows on large plots in Cornwall
Can I replace my bungalow with two houses in Cornwall?
It may be possible on a large enough plot, with planning permission. The council will weigh the number of homes, their height and bulk, parking, garden space and the look of the street. We assess this during the appraisal.
What routes do you offer for bungalow plots in Cornwall?
You can sell part of the plot, sell subject to planning, grant an option, enter a joint venture or combine with neighbours. Or you keep the land and we design, get planning for and build a new home on it.
Does selling part of my bungalow plot in Cornwall affect tax?
It can. Private Residence Relief can cover part of a garden sold while you still own and live in the home, within limits, but the order of sales can change things, and land divided off for development may not qualify. Take advice from a tax adviser before deciding.
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.

