Submission of Planning Application for allocated site near Penzance
31 January 2023Following an extensive period of technical assessment, consultation and design, Devonshire Homes has submitted a planning application for the site allocated by Cornwall Council in the Local Plan for major residential development (Policy PZ-H4 Trannack).
Key information can be viewed at: Trannack | Devonshire Homes plus Devonshire Homes will be hosting a public exhibition of the submitted plans on Monday 20 March 2023 at Pulse Venue, Heamoor, 12.30-6pm.
Much-needed homes including 96 affordable
If permitted, the plans will provide 320 new homes for the area, ranging from one-bed apartments and maisonettes to five-bed townhouses in response to feedback about local needs.
30 per cent (96) of the total will be ‘affordable homes’, as defined by Government, which will be allocated and managed by Cornwall Council’s registered agents. These homes will be tenure-blind and distributed throughout the development.
Sustainable links
The site was allocated after Cornwall Council assessed it for suitability and sustainability. As well as proposing electric vehicle charging points for all dwellings, the scheme will encourage active travel to and from the town through the provision of more than 4km of new lanes across the site. These will connect to both the existing A30 underpass, and to the existing pedestrian/cyclist A30 crossing which will be much improved with widened pavements, a guardrail, buff-coloured surfacing to indicate the safest route and to alert approaching drivers, and a widened refuge island with a dropped curb and tactile paving.
To further enhance pedestrian/cyclist accessibility and safety, it is proposed to reduce speed from 50mph to 40mph along the site frontage (A30).
Sensitive design
In designing the scheme, the developer’s team has followed the Government’s National Design Guide (2019) which sets out how to respond and contribute to a site’s local character, community and climate changes to achieve well-designed places that are beautiful, enduring and successful.
Accordingly, the aesthetics of the proposed buildings reflect the local structures and building materials along with the muted green and brown palette described as the local preference in the emerging Penzance Neighbourhood Plan. Plus the masterplan works with the site’s topography, integrating the higher buildings with the steepest gradients to minimise their visual impact.
Biodiversity net gain
Intelligent masterplanning has ensured the building plots will account for only 25 percent of the application area: the rest is dedicated to surface water management, environmental gains, leisure spaces and grazing. Combined, this will deliver a 17.5% net gain for habitats and more than a 44% net gain for hedgerows – well beyond the 10% required by policy.
Extensive public open space for all
9.4 ha of proposed Public Open Space incorporates new community allotments, an orchard and a mown nature trail with a viewpoint across to St. Michael’s Mount. Also proposed are a variety of natural ‘lingering spaces’ around the site in which residents can play, socialise, exercise and learn. One of these is a beautiful community gathering and playing place inspired by the Cornish ‘plen an gwari’ tradition, which proved a very popular idea amongst local residents during consultation.
Flood risk reduction
The application has been submitted with a sophisticated Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS). This has been engineered to improve the site’s flood resilience and reduce the current rate of rainwater flow into Chyandour Brook, even after the development is fully built and accounting for a 100-year storm and the impacts of climate change.
Contribution to community services
Planning permission will generate substantial developer contributions to support and improve local community services including education and health provision, which will be secured by way of a legal Section 106 agreement.
Additional planning application to expedite access improvements
Devonshire Homes has also submitted a separate planning application for the proposed new site access on the A30. Its purpose is to help expedite construction of this access so that it is ready by the time any consented housebuilding work gets underway, so avoiding the need for the main construction traffic to use the site’s existing access on Polmennor Road.
This A30 access is designed with a dedicated right-turn lane to facilitate the free flow of traffic along the southern frontage of the development site. The contractors will comply with the usual holiday-period embargo on roadworks so as to not impact the visitor economy.
Matthew Loughrey-Robinson, Head of Land & Planning of Devonshire Homes, said:
"Despite the steepness and many constraints of the site, we believe we’ve produced a beautiful, sympathetic and sustainable scheme that will complement the site’s setting and benefit local residents. Importantly, it will help Cornwall Council deliver much-needed new homes, including 96 affordable, with good connectivity to surrounding communities, as well as improved access to previously private areas of the countryside for all to enjoy."