Developers object to garden village plans on outskirts of Truro
Langarth could get thousands of new homes along with schools and facilities
Two developers which own land set to be part of Langarth Garden Village have submitted objections to the council’s plans for the site.
Cornwall Council has submitted a hybrid planning application for the garden village on the outskirts of Truro including an outline application for up to 3,500 homes and various facilities including schools and workspace.
The application is based around a masterplan that the council has created for the Langarth Garden Village which takes in several sites in the area.
Many of the sites have previously had planning applications approved to build homes, retail and other facilities on them.
Cornwall Council made an intervention for the overall development after progress stalled on the different sites across the area.
The council said that by taking a lead on the project it also wanted to bring the entire area together and have a common approach to it and avoid a patchwork quilt effect of different separate developments in the area.
By creating a masterplan the council was aiming to have a consistent approach and create a design guide which would ensure the Garden Village fits together.
However Maypool Estates – representing the owners of land at Willow Green and Maiden Green which are included in the Langarth Garden Village area – has submitted an objection to the application.
Willow Green has outline planning consent for 400 homes and a retail development.
Maiden Green, owned by Walker Developments, has outline planning permission for up to 650 homes, a supermarket, primary school and employment space.
The Maiden Green site also includes part of the land required for the Northern Access Road (NAR) which will provide a link through the Garden Village and link the A390 entrance to the west of the site with Treliske.
In its letter to the council Maypool states that the council’s planning application “would, if approved, conflict with my clients’ consented schemes and there is no way that all schemes could go forward together”.
The letter adds that the developers are looking to submit reserved matters planning applications for their developments in 2021 and “have commercial interest from housebuilders and retail operators”.
Mark Scoot, from Maypool Estates, states: “My clients are also likely to develop and retain other commercial elements of the scheme themselves.”
His letter goes on: “Whilst there have been discussions over several years with representatives of Cornwall Council as applicant about working collaboratively, to date these have not led to an in principle agreement to work together and the council has no legal interest in my clients’ landholdings.
“Therefore, at this time, my client has no option other than to object to the above application on the grounds that deliver of the scheme would prohibit delivery of the approved outline/detailed consents. For clarity, even if the scheme is approved at the committee stage, my clients will not be parties to the planning obligations that would be needed and therefore consent could not be issued.”
No date has yet been set for when the planning application will go before a committee for decision.