Officials back garden village plans and funding for new school near Truro
It could have up to 4,000 new homes
Last updated 6th Nov 2020
A masterplan for Langarth Garden Village which will have up to 4,000 new homes has been backed by Cornwall Council’s Cabinet.
Ruling councillors at County Hall have endorsed the masterplan for the development on the outskirts of Truro.
Under the proposals there could be 3,500 new homes built along with 200 extra care units and 50 homes for students. The overall development is expected to take more than 25 years to complete.
Cornwall Council cabinet members have also approved funding of £11.9m for the construction of the first Langarth Garden Village primary school.
Cherilyn Mackrory, Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth, has welcomed the decision by Cornwall Council’s Cabinet.
“While the overall development at Langarth remains a controversial one, it is crucial that what it built there is not just houses.
“It is so important that development has the corresponding infrastructure to go with it, and this new primary school for Langarth Garden Village will mean that residents in the new development will not put additional pressure on the schools already in Truro and the surrounding area.
“I look forward to seeing the plans for this new school come forward and will continue to do all I can to push for investment in education and elsewhere across Truro and Falmouth.”
Cherilyn Mackrory, MP for Truro and Falmouth
Another £6.93m has been earmarked for a pioneering new renewable energy centre which will play a key role in delivering Cornwall Council’s climate change strategy and provide low cost green power for residents.
The Cabinet also agreed to invest £500,000 to support improvements to the Threemilestone Community Centre for the benefit of residents living in Threemilestone and Highertown, as well as residents who will live at Langarth Garden Village in the future.
Cabinet members also supported investment of up to £1.7 million on playing pitches and £2.8 million from section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy, if the Langarth Garden Village planning applications are approved, to help improve the village of Threemilestone.
Plans include removing the central roundabout, providing more parking spaces to improve access to local businesses and health services and a new pedestrian and cycleway link to connect Threemilestone village directly to the new Langarth Garden Village. All of this will be complemented by new green spaces, landscaping and tree planting.
The Langarth site also includes space for a planned Stadium For Cornwall which would be a new home for the Cornish Pirates rugby team as well as providing facilities for Truro and Penwith College and other organisations.
“We want all new development in Cornwall to be the best quality.
“At Langarth the planning permissions for 2,700 homes previously granted to a number of private developers meant that development would inevitably take place on the site.
“Rather than allow piecemeal development, in January 2019 we made the decision to take on a proactive role in delivering a new integrated community at Langarth Garden Village, allocating £159 million to support the development of the masterplan and key infrastructure.”
Andrew Mitchell, Cabinet Member for Homes, Cornwall Council
Created in partnership with the local community, the masterplan sets out to provide high quality, low carbon housing including 35% affordable homes, extra care and other forms of accommodation for older people and people with disabilities, as well as accommodation for student health workers and other key workers.
Around 48% of the existing green infrastructure will be retained within the site, with new Cornish hedges, swales and wetland areas, community farms, allotments and community orchards and parks and play areas, helping to increase biodiversity by up to 20% across the whole site.
Five hectares (12 acres) of new woodland will be planted as part of the Forest for Cornwall, with the provision of two new primary schools and new health facilities helping to ensure that key services are shaped around future residents from the start.
“Realising this vision has included investment not just in proposals directly linked to the new Garden Village, such as the first new primary school and the renewable energy centre, but importantly in community projects within Threemilestone and Highertown to improve local services.
"Together these projects will ensure that Langarth Garden Village will ultimately form part of the broader community of Truro and Threemilestone.”
Tim Dwelly, Cornwall Council Cabinet Member for planning and economy
The Council had previously agreed to provide early investment for a number of other community projects.
Following today’s Cabinet decision, if planning permission is approved for the scheme, the first of the two new primary schools would be due to open in Summer 2023 to coincide with the first residents moving into their new homes.
Work on constructing the Northern Access Road would begin in Autumn 2021, with the scheme completed in Spring 2024.