Plans submitted for new garden village with thousands of homes on outskirts of Truro
Schools, shops, cafes and a pub could be built too
A planning application has been submitted for the Langarth Garden Village which is set to be built on the outskirts of Truro.
The hybrid planning application includes an application for full permission for the construction of the Northern Access Road and junctions to the development from the A390.
It also then has an application for outline permission for the major part of the development including 3,550 homes, 200 extra care homes and 50 units of student/health worker accommodation.
In addition permission is sought for five local centres which will have retail, offices, restaurants and cafes, health and community facilities, a local care health centre, a blue light centre for emergency services, two primary schools, business and commercial floorspace and brewery/public house.
The application also seeks outline permission for open space, community farm/allotments, renewable energy provision and energy centre, park and ride extension, cycle lanes and other highway works including crossings of the A390 and quiet lanes.
A total of 352 documents have been included with the application which has been validated by Cornwall Council. No date has been set for when it will be considered and decided.
One of the major documents with the application is a nine part design and access statement which sets out various aspects of the development including how it will be laid out and the proposed design guide which will be used.
Cornwall Council has taken the lead on the development of Langarth Garden Village which covers a number of different sites which had previously been granted planning permission for different developments.
The design and access statement explains:“The driver for the council’s involvement is to ensure a high quality scheme with an ambition to provide a range of housing types to meet the needs of local people. It also ensures that key infrastructure such as schools, health and play facilities are provided at the start of the scheme rather than at the end when all the houses have been built and that there is a future focused sustainable transport network, with an exemplary bus service and cycle paths and walk ways ensuring great connectivity both within the village and out into neighbouring communities and places of work.”
Cornwall Council decided to intervene in 2019 when it also agreed to spend £159million to support the development of a masterplan and infrastructure for the site.
That masterplan has been completed following a large amount of engagement and consultation and forms the basis of the planning application.
Cornwall Council has acquired 130 acres of the land on the site from Inox but the design and access statement explains that there are 57 land titles across the development site and 38 individual land owner contacts.
The statement explains that the council is in the process of negotiating acquisition of the other land needed for the development.
It also adds: “As well as land acquisition, there are also private developers and landowners who would like to develop their own land. Where this is the case, Cornwall Council are also discussing such proposals to align the proposals with the vision set within the masterplan.”
The planned Langarth Garden Village, which would have a population of around 8,000, is compared in the documents with Wadebridge (pop. 7,900); Hayle (pop. 8,900) and Launceston (pop. 9,200).
Under the plans the development would be split into five phases – the first phase would run from 2021 to 2024 with the last phase running from 2034 to 2038.
Outlining the “benefits for customers/residents” the design and access statement says: “By developing a masterplan which sets higher standards for placemaking and design, we can deliver beautifully designed low carbon homes which meet the needs and budgets of all sectors of the community. These includes live-work housing solutions, and homes where young families can live close to schools and surrounded by nature, with opportunities for children to develop in close relationship with the landscape.
“Langarth will certainly not follow a bland “one size fits all” approach. We want to build on Cornish heritage and promote the use of locally sourced building materials and local tradespeople to create a variety of different housing sizes and styles. The residents of the existing Threemilestone Village and other adjoining communities along the A390 will benefit from investment in improved facilities as described elsewhere in the report.
“Rather than allow piecemeal development, the council committed to a programme to support the development of a Masterplan and key infrastructure for the whole site. Since then, we have been working with key partners and the local community to develop a coherent plan which creates a vibrant, co-ordinated and sustainable community where people want to live, work and visit, rather than a series of unconnected housing estates.
“By taking an active coordinating role in the developments, the council is able to set higher standards for place making and design in the area, leading to a sustainable community, a more attractive place to live and providing good quality homes serving Truro, addressing the overall imbalance of jobs and homes and underwriting the council’s policy target of 35% affordable homes.
“Garden villages are new settlements which offer high quality homes, jobs and community facilities and services in an attractive landscape led setting. Our vision for Langarth is for a new community with around 48% of green space (compared with just 19% in the previous planning applications).”
It adds: “By providing infrastructure that developers would otherwise have to fund at the outset of development, council investment will help to unlock private sector development of the area, thereby supporting the achievement of the council’s housing delivery targets.
“With the council’s involvement, key services such as the Northern Access Road, new schools, health and leisure facilities and community buildings can be delivered at the start of the project when the community needs them, rather than having to wait until a significant proportion of the new houses have been built. It also means that land is not be sat on or land banked and that a quality development is delivered.”
And it states: “The Masterplan public transport services provide increased bus services, with bus stops at least every 400 metres along the length of the NAR, together with improvements to the existing A390 and an extra 600 spaces at the park and ride.
“Better cycle, bus and walking connections provide a realistic and practical alternative to car use for accessing the city centre and other services with an intent to make a significant change in modal shift from use of the car to other more sustainable forms of transport as part of the overall objectives.
“Creating a new community also means providing jobs for the people who live there. Langarth delivers jobs in construction creating offices, retail, community services, the care industry and hospitality as well as home working opportunities. With integrated public transport and improved footpaths and cycleways, commuting means a short walk, cycle or bus ride from home.”
The application is available to view on the Cornwall Council planning portal where people can also comment on the plans. The application number is PA20/09631.