The planning application for Langarth Garden Village is now available for viewing on Cornwall Council’s online planning register: https://https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/environment-and-planning/planning/online-planning-register/
The reference number for the application is PA20/09631.
The planning application is a ‘hybrid’ type, with the proposed Northern Access Road (NAR) in ‘full’ form and the remaining land in the Masterplan proposed in ‘outline’ form.
The plan below shows the relationship between the two elements, as well as providing information on a number of other applications that have been submitted concurrently (a proposed Energy Centre and Listed Building Consent for the relocation of a milestone).
What is the planning process ?
The planning application for the Garden Village was submitted to Cornwall Council’s Local Planning Authority on 3 November 2020.
Because of its nature and scale and likely environmental effects the application is subject to a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment process, which has led to the production of an Environmental Statement which will accompany and support the planning application.
The planning application was formally registered as valid on 4 December and a copy of the planning application and accompanying Environmental Statement is available for viewing on the online planning register
The planning application will now be subject to a full consultation and publicity process involving the public, expert consultees and many other stakeholders who will all be invited to inspect the application and make comment if they wish. The Council is able to receive comments at any time while it is considering the planning application.
In due course officers from the Local Planning Authority will prepare a report on the application for consideration by members of the Council’s Strategic Planning Committee who will then make a decision whether or not to grant planning permission.
As this is such a significant scheme this first stage of the planning process to give outline planning permission for the Langarth Garden Village scheme is not expected to be determined until the summer of 2021 at the earliest. Progress on this will be continually monitored.
What is outline planning permission ?
If planning permission is granted it will mean that the NAR will have full approval, and the remaining land have an outline approval.
An outline planning permission allows for a decision on the general principle of how a site can be developed, whereas a full permission is detailed and no further planning permissions are necessary.
If outline planning permission is granted for the Langarth Garden Village scheme next year, the next stage in obtaining the necessary detailed consents will be the preparation of detailed ‘reserved matters’ application which will deal with areas not included in the outline application proposal. These can include the appearance, means of access, landscaping, and scale of the development.
These applications are expected to be submitted shortly after a decision on the hybrid application is made, and will be subject to full consultation and publicity in the normal way.
What is a Section 106 agreement ?
In addition to obtaining planning approval it will be necessary for the Council as developer to obtain approvals not covered by the planning permission. One of these will be a legal agreement between the developer and landowner and Council known as a ‘planning obligation’ or a ‘Section 106 agreement’.
These agreements can cover a range of matters such as controlling the level of Affordable Housing provision, the extent of highway works in and around the Langarth area, and provide measures to control impacts on ecology. To lessen these impacts a financial contribution is often required from the applicant. This can then be used to mitigate the impact of the development on the local community and infrastructure.
The amount of the contribution is based on the size and scale of the proposed development and they are dependent on planning permission being given for the scheme.
Work is currently taking place to determine the level of contribution for the Langarth scheme.
What happens next?
In terms of the build programme for the Garden Village, if full planning permission is granted for the Northern Access Road next summer then work on the NAR is expected to begin in September 2021, with the scheme completed in Spring 2024.
How can I comment on the planning application?
There are a number of ways for people to comment on the planning application.
These are:
Cornwall Council’s online planning portal,
by email at [email protected] or
by letter to the local planning office.
