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.

A NEW proposal for housing on land near Marhamchurch has been submitted – appearing online a week after the withdrawal of a previous application on nearby land under the same ownership.

Mr Grigg is seeking the council’s permission in principle to build between five and nine dwellings on land to the east of Park Farm, Hobbacott Lane, Marhamchurch, Bude.

His previous application, for land on the adjacent Park Farm would have seen up to nine affordable dwellings built but it was withdrawn.

In that application, it was acknowledged that the site would have been what is known as a ‘rural exception site’ – meaning that it wouldn’t ordinarily be built on if the development was not for affordable dwellings.

However, in light of the changes in planning policy meaning more houses are needing to be built, a new application has been submitted for a permission in principle.

A permission in principle, if granted establishes the principle that permission for a development on land has the chance of being obtained – and in this application, Mr Grigg is seeking to establish the principle that the land could have between five and nine dwellings built on it.

It is not in itself a planning permission – but once the permission is established, it would then require a full planning application to be granted featuring specific details on any proposed development.

It would then be for the applicant to either turn the permission in principle into a full planning application themselves or the land could be sold as one where development might be possible.

In the application, his planning agent told the authority: “The site lies at the eastern edge of Marhamchurch and is an area of pasture positioned between Croft Cottage and April Cottage. Hobbacott Lane defines the southern site boundary. Associated pasture extends north of the site.

“Marhamchurch is a clearly defined, sizeable settlement with various facilities and services including a primary school, public house and village shop. Most of which are within 500m walking distance of the site, as are bus stops, including routes direct to Bude. The site lies within an undesignated landscape and is not within a protected area as defined by Para 11 of the NPPF.

Fundamental to the positive consideration of this submission is a recent planning decision at Marhamchurch made by Cornwall Council in light of the absence of a 5-year land supply and that the NDP is not protected in this situation. Significantly, PA25/01551 (Permission in Principle for proposed residential development of five no. dwellings (minimum five maximum five) on Land Adjacent to Melrose, Helebridge Road, Marhamchurch.. In terms of location, this is almost a handed version of that now submitted.”

The planning agent for Mr Grigg acknowledged that the changes to housing policy were behind the application, continuing: “Ordinarily, the site might be considered unsuitable for open market residential development on the basis it lies outside of the development boundary for Marhamchurch, as defined in the Marhamchurch Neighbourhood Plan.

However, the fundamental change to considering this site now suitable for residential development relates to the publication of the revised NPPF, after the NDP was made.

“This introduces Standard Housing Methodology which means that the revised housing requirement for Cornwall is now 4,421 instead of 2,707 homes per annum.

“Cornwall Council has now indicated that it cannot demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites against this new requirement. Even prior to this situation, Cornwall declared a housing crisis2.

“Consequently, Cornwall Council has confirmed that housing policies in NDP’s, in particular those regarding development boundaries, are out of date and will be afforded significantly less weight in planning decisions (where such NDP’s are not protected). In this case, the Marhamchurch NDP is not identified as a protected NDP.”

The plans can be viewed using reference PA25/08517.

PROPOSALS to demolish a ‘dilapidated’ bungalow and replace it with two dwellings have been submitted for a location in Rock.

The application, by Mr Richard Mably, would see the demolition of a bungalow known as Kernyk, located on Trewint Lane in Rock with its replacement in the form of two four-bedroom houses.

The planning agent told the council: “The site comprises the residential curtilage of the dwelling named Kernyk and is located on the Eastern side of Trewint Lane in Rock, Cornwall. Rock is situated on the northern banks of the Camel Estuary opposite the town of Padstow and approximately 6.2 miles from Wadebridge to the Southeast (by road). The existing property is a single-storey bungalow constructed circa 1950s.

“The building is in a state of disrepair and needs significant modernisation. Due to its age and original construction methods, the dwelling no longer meets current Building Regulations, particularly with regard to thermal efficiency and overall performance. It occupies a large rectangular shaped plot of land which is accessed directly off Trewint Lane. There is a public right of way (547/8/1) running along the northern boundary which is separate from the site and is screened by hedgerow along this boundary.

“The proposal would be a sympathetic replacement of the existing bungalow with a new residential four bedroom dwelling with a further additional four bedroom dwelling located to the rear of this.”

The plans can be viewed using reference PA26/00556.