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.

PLANS for the construction of a new office building that would have enabled the expansion of an established Cornwall holiday operator has been refused by Cornwall Council.

The authority said it could not grant permission for the construction of an office building combined with landscaping and associated works at a location at Blandings, St Eval, Wadebridge because of the impact on a nearby Grade I listed church.

It added that it would affect the remoteness of the open setting and the loss of visual amenity to the surrounding landscape.

The application was made by Padstow Escapes Ltd, who described in their submissions their reasons why the proposals should have been considered.

They said: “Padstow Escapes has outgrown its current accommodation and requires a permanent, purpose-built base to consolidate and expand operations. The Blandings site provides a central and accessible location within the company’s service area, enabling efficient management of properties across Padstow, St Eval, Mawgan Porth, Rock, and Polzeath.

“The proposal is for a purpose-built single-storey office building positioned on the western side of the application site. The building has been conceived as a contemporary rural workplace that draws on traditional Cornish forms and materials to achieve a modern yet context-sensitive appearance.”

Historic England objected to the proposals, stating: “The proposals would cause high levels of harm to the Church of St Uvelas, a grade I listed building of exceptional historic and architectural importance, where a part of its significance stems from its surrounding open landscape setting. We therefore object to the application.”

Of the 23 comments submitted by members of the public, the majority were supportive of the proposals, arguing that it would be beneficial for the wider area if Padstow Escapes were permitted to expand.

The reasons given by Cornwall Council for refusing the application were: “The proposal is not considered to accord with the spatial strategy for new employment land pursued by this Council through the development plan. The proposal would deliver new employment land in the open countryside in a location with limited accessibility by non-vehicular modes and would, by reason of the introduction of a large single storey office building, parking and associated infrastructure and the associated built massing, light pollution, and increased activity into a sensitive landscape which forms an important part of the setting of the Grade 1 Listed Church of St Uvelus. These impacts erode the remoteness and open setting and lead to a loss of visual amenity and result in harm to the character of the surrounding landscape.

“By reason of introducing a large single storey office building, parking and associated infrastructure and the associated built massing, increased light pollution, and increased activity into a sensitive landscape which forms an important part of the setting of the Grade 1 Listed Church of St Uvelus, the proposal would erode the remoteness of this heritage asset and diminish its prominence within its open setting thereby harming its significance.

“Additionally, the proposal would result in minor harm to a non-designated heritage asset, that being the remains of a former holding location for fighter aircraft associated with the former RAF St Eval Airfield. The level of harm to the designated heritage asset is considered to be less than substantial, with additional associative minor harm caused to the non-designated hardstanding that has not been adequately justified by the public benefits of the scheme and thereby fails to represent an appropriate response to its historic and landscape context.

“Whilst the proposal would provide some wider social and economic benefits through continued and increased employment opportunity and construction employment, and some environmental benefits through biodiversity net gain and renewable energy provision, these benefits are limited and are not considered to outweigh the harm identified to the heritage assets and the positive contribution that these assets make to local landscape character. The proposal does not amount to sustainable development.”

PROPOSALS seeking the change of use for an ancillary building into a holiday let in Stratton has been approved by Cornwall Council.

The plans concern the address at Ferrerrs, Stamford Hill, Stratton, Bude.

The plans, if executed, would see a domestic building turned into a self-contained annexe for ancillary and holiday letting uses.

One of the conditions for the approval of the proposals stipulate that the maximum any person can stay in the unit for holiday purposes is 28 days and an up-to-date register of all occupiers must be maintained.

1/0827/2025/FUL: Stanbury Lodge, Holsworthy.

Proposals have been submitted for the erection of a detached car port and storage building.

1/0841/2025/FUL: Casa Mia, 13 Park Close, Holsworthy.

Proposals have been submitted for the construction of a rear extension to a property.

1/0862/2025/AGR: Cross Farm, Holsworthy Beacon, Holsworthy

An application for an agricultural notification has been filed with Torridge District Council for the creation of an earth banked slurry lagoon.

1/0772/2025/AGR: Land at Grid Reference 228888 108340 Pancrasweek

Proposals have been submitted seeking permission for the erection of agricultural storage building.

1/0833/2025/FUL: 5 Coronation Place, Shebbear, Beaworthy

An application seeking the replacement of single storey extensions with new two storey and single storey rear extensions has been filed with Torridge District Council.