EACH week, hundreds of planning applications come before Cornwall Council’s planning department, seeking to win approval for various plans right across the Duchy, with some concerning Holsworthy handled by Torridge District Council.

These plans can comprise of a number of different reasonings– ranging from permission to replace windows or listed building consent ranging up to large house building developments or changing of use of a building, for instance, from an office to a café, or flats.

Within this large and often complex system, there are a number of formats from which planning advice and approval can be sought.

These range from full applications where all the details which comprise a proposed development or work to a building are submitted, to outline applications, where further details are yet to be confirmed, for example, an outline application with reserved matters for appearance may not confirm the final proposed development but rather seek permission in principle.

An example of this is one for an outline permission for 20 dwellings on land with reserved matters for appearance and scale; the reserved matters would require further permission later for their inclusion.

Other types of applications include pre-application advice requests, where would-be developers submit often outline proposals to a local authority to ascertain whether it is likely to gain support or not prior to submitting a planning application.

The vast majority of applications are decided by planning officers employed by a local authority under ‘delegated powers’, meaning they do so on behalf of their employer, however, some applications are ‘called in’ by local councillors to be discussed at an area’s strategic planning committee meeting, meaning the final decision rests with a committee of councillors.

PROPOSALS for a permission in principle for up to five homes on land near Bude has been submitted to Cornwall Council.

Ms Alison Rowland submitted plans to the authority for the permission in principle on previously developed land at Contractors Yard, Coppathorne, Poundstock, Bude.

A permission in principle is not in itself a finalised plan submitted to Cornwall Council, but rather if granted identifies the principle that permission would be granted for a full scheme as described in the proposals. In this case that is for the construction of up to five dwellings, comprising a minimum of three and a maximum of five.

The planning agent for the applicant told Cornwall Council: “This Planning Statement is submitted in support of a Permission in Principle (PiP) application for the development of up to five dwellings on previously developed land at the Contractor's Yard, Coppathorne, Poundstock, Bude EX23 0DD.

“The purpose of this application is to establish the principle of development on the site through the PiP process, with detailed design, layout, and technical considerations to be addressed at a subsequent stage through a Technical Details Consent application.

“The proposed development seeks to deliver a housing scheme of up to five dwellings, contributing to the urgent need for housing in Cornwall in response to the ongoing housing crisis. While the specific tenure and design details of the homes will be determined at a later stage, the scheme is focused on providing sustainable, policy compliant housing in alignment with local and national planning priorities.

“This application is particularly significant given the Local Planning Authority's current shortfall in meeting its five-year housing land supply. This deficiency underscores the urgent need for new housing, particularly in sustainable locations. The proposal aligns with the Cornwall Local Plan 2010–2030, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2024, the Cornwall Climate Emergency Development Plan Document (2023), and the Cornwall Design Guide (2021), ensuring compliance with key planning policies and objectives.

“The site is located in the rural area of Poundstock, with direct access to the A39 and close proximity to the town of Bude. It is surrounded by other developments, supporting the rural community of Poundstock. The site is classified as brownfield land, as confirmed by the Certificate of Lawfulness (planning reference PA23/05864), which recognises its established use for construction and storage purposes.

“This proposal represents a valuable opportunity to contribute to addressing Cornwall’s critical housing shortage through a sustainable and carefully considered development. Given its alignment with national and local policy objectives, its sustainable use of brownfield land, and its contributions to the community, it is respectfully submitted that the principle of development should be supported, and permission in principle should be granted.”

The plans can be viewed under reference PA25/00281.

An application for a lawful development certificate to confirm that work on a development in Callington has commenced.

It concerns an approved application for a lawful development certificate for the proposed demolition of a dwelling with a replacement comprising of a proposed care home and assisted living units at Little Court, 56 Saltash Road, Callington has commenced.

The stipulation dictated that work on the plans had to commence within a year of the planning application being approved, namely December 21, 2024.

Now, the applicants for the scheme, Mr F and Miss L Richards, are seeking a lawful development certificate to confirm that development begun prior to the date stipulated.

In their application, they told Cornwall Council: “A Certificate of Lawfulness is sought to confirm that works pursuant to planning application PA23/08410 have lawfully commenced, for the purposes of Section 56 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, within the approved timeframe and therefore the development is extant.

“Condition 1 of application PA23/08410 states that: The development hereby permitted shall be begun before the 21st December 2024 The evidence submitted within this submission clearly demonstrates that works were carried out in November and December.

“Condition 7 states that: No development, or site preparation prior to development which has any effect on the trees on site shall take place within the site until the applicant (or their agents or successors in title) has erected the tree protective fencing in accordance with the details contained in the Arboricultural Method statement submitted as part of application PA18/02300.

“Such tree protection fencing shall be retained and maintained until the completion of the development. At no time shall any works in connection with the development, including storage, access, cement mixing, bonfires, excavations or other level changes occur within the protected area.

“Reason: To ensure the continued vitality and viability of the trees on site, in accordance with Policy 23 of the Cornwall Local Plan 2016. A Record of Site Arboricultural Monitoring from Empire Trees and Garden Service (the development’s long standing arboricultural consultant) confirms that Kevin Johnson visited the site on the October 21, 2024, with the prime contractor to confirm and set out the parameters for tree protection fencing.

“On the November 22, 2024, there is confirmation of specification and placement of root protection fencing. The requirements of condition 7 have therefore been fulfilled. The description of the development includes the demolition of the existing of dwelling. The site photographs submitted clearly show that the dwelling has been demolished. The development was ‘set out’ by Cornish Engineering Surveys, as shown in site photograph one. Site photographs two and three show that a trench has been excavated and concrete foundations laid.

“The letter from the Cornwall Council Building Control confirms that on December 6 the site was visited and that first stage foundation excavations dug out ready for concreting. The evidence submitted clearly demonstrates that the development has commenced in accordance with approved application PA23/0841 before the December 21, 2024.”

The plans can be viewed under reference PA24/09740.

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