Delivering much-needed housing to a Cornish market town

Our land promotion client, DLC Consultants, approached us following earlier refusals for a major new housing development with a relief road on the edge of the Cornish Market Town of Wadebridge. Working creatively with the project team and providing a strong justification on the policy and housing need basis for the development, a planning appeal was successful following a Public Inquiry in Cornwall in 2022.

Objective

To achieve a positive appeal decision following a refusal and unsuccessful appeal decision for the site, prior to our involvement.

Approach

Rural Solutions were able to conceive a creative and robust case to overcome the reasons for refusal of this application. This included working with the architect, landscape architect, ecologist, and highways advisor to create a scheme that delivered biodiversity net gain and habitat creation, together with high quality public open space, in addition to new housing and a relief road.

A high-quality design scheme, together with a detailed planning case for development was submitted to the local authority. Together with the applicant we were convinced of the need for and merits of the proposals and for the policy basis for approval. On that basis, an appeal was submitted, and we attended the Public Inquiry to provide expert witness testimony on the scheme.

A positive appeal decision was received in August 2022 following a Public Inquiry earlier in the year.