Following the granting of outline planning permission for the Langarth Garden Village project at the end of last year, Cornwall Council is currently reviewing the information it holds on land ownership within the proposed site to ensure that it has identified everyone with a legal interest in the land or property affected by the scheme.
While the Council’s preference remains to acquire any critical land needed for the scheme through agreement, in some cases this may not be possible. In these circumstances the authority may need to use compulsory purchase powers to secure the land. As part of the preparations for the CPO process, the Council carries out a formal information gathering exercise, known as land referencing, to ensure that it has up to date and accurate information on everyone who either owns or occupies land or properties within the development area.
Land and property owners within the development area will be sent a Request for Information questionnaire within the next two weeks asking them to confirm details of ownership and occupation of their property and land, including any tenants they let it to. The information will also be used to help identify the owners of any unregistered land. Where necessary site visits will then be made to check the details of specific areas of land.
The land referencing process is expected to take up to six weeks to complete. The Council will then review the information it has received and, where necessary, begin the formal process of seeking compulsory purchase power for any areas of land which it has not been able to acquire through agreement with landowners.
