EACH week, hundreds of planning applications come before Cornwall Council’s planning department, seeking to win approval for various plans right across the Duchy.

These plans can comprise of a number of different reasonings – ranging from permission to replace windows or listed building consent ranging up to large house building developments or changing of use of a building, for instance, from an office to a café, or flats.

Within this large and often complex system, there are a number of formats from which planning advice and approval can be sought.

These range from full applications where all the details which comprise a proposed development or work to a building are submitted, to outline applications, where further details are yet to be confirmed, for example, an outline application with reserved matters for appearance may not confirm the final proposed development but rather seek permission in principle.

An example of this is one for an outline permission for 20 dwellings on land with reserved matters for appearance and scale; the reserved matters would require further permission later for their inclusion.

Other types of applications include pre-application advice requests, where would-be developers submit often outline proposals to a local authority to ascertain whether it is likely to gain support or not prior to submitting a planning application.

The vast majority of applications are decided by planning officers employed by a local authority under ‘delegated powers’, meaning they do so on behalf of their employer, however, some applications are ‘called in’ by local councillors to be discussed at an area’s strategic planning committee meeting, meaning the final decision rests with a committee of councillors.

PROPOSALS for an agricultural shed in Tideford has been refused by Cornwall Council.

The application was concerning land to the north east of Pencavo Mill, Pencavo Hill, Tideford.

It would have seen proposals for a general purpose agricultural building if permission had been granted.

A previous application in 2024 for a larger building on the same site was withdrawn in order to enable the applicant to address the concerns raised by Cornwall Council’s planning department.

The concerns raised included the size of the previous building, which the applicant stated they had reduced the size in the new application.

Residents nearby had also said they had concerns about the potential noise from the processing and storage of logs on the site for local delivery, in addition to the working hours of the enterprise.

In the new submission, the applicant stated that the new building would be solely used for housing sheep, machinery, feed and forage with the log processing side of the enterprise being removed.

Other concerns included the inclusion of a biodiversity net gain report, drainage, access and the impact on the landscape. In the new application, the applicant had stated how they’d addressed each issue.

The applicant stated: “The applicant is a young farmer who has a keen interest in farming and the countryside. He currently rents land locally and purchased the land surrounding the proposal site in order to create a base from which he can house and graze his small starter flock of sheep. Proposed Agricultural and Forestry Building, Land at Snowdrop Lane, Landrake, Saltash, Cornwall PL15 5AE.

“The proposed building is required to house sheep during lambing, store feed straw and hay for the sheep flock for feed and forage and the storage of farm machinery.”

Five letters of support have been received citing support for the intentions of the applicant with regard to agricultural enterprise. Landrake with St Erney Parish Council offered support for the proposal.

However, Cornwall Council decided that the location of the proposed agricultural building was likely to have an impact on the landscape surrounding it.

The council observed that: “No information has been provided regarding any excavation or land levelling required to accommodate the building on this sloping site. In the absence of cross sections or similar details, it is difficult to fully assess the resulting impact on the landscape.

“In addition, the building would sit immediately adjacent to the public highway, separated only by an existing hedgerow. Limited details have been submitted regarding the relationship between the barn and the hedge, making it unclear to what extent the hedgerow would mitigate views from the road.”

Refusing the plans, Cornwall Council told the applicant: “In the absence of a demonstrable essential business need for the proposed building in this location, the scheme represents unsustainable development within an open countryside setting. Insufficient information has been provided to allow a full assessment of the potential landscape impacts.

“Nevertheless, the proposal would undoubtedly introduce a large structure on elevated land adjacent to the highway, within an area that is currently open and largely undeveloped. This would result in unwarranted built encroachment that erodes the positive contribution the site makes to the rural landscape, where the proposed development of the site without justification would be harmful to the intrinsically undeveloped character of the surrounding countryside.”

THE operator of a Morrisons branded fuel station in Bodmin has submitted new proposals for the site.

MFG Fuel Group had previously obtained planning permission for a redevelopment of their filling station in Bodmin, which has been operational since the early 1990’s, when it was constructed alongside a Safeway supermarket, now a Morrisons.

The previous proposals had sought permission for the construction of an extension of the sales building, which would have replaced the existing drive-through style automated car wash facility alongside the provision of electric vehicle charging points in the car park of the adjacent Morrisons supermarket as well as related electrical enclosures and plant rooms.

In the new proposals, MFG are seeking permission to offer the provision of three electric vehicle charging points, six electric vehicle charging bays, erection of EV canopy, substation enclosure, LV panel, meter cabinet, four jet wash bays, plant room and associated works.

The applicant told Cornwall Council: “It should be noted that planning reference PA24/04489 relates to a similar application for the removal of the existing car wash and proposed extension to the existing petrol filling station sales building and the creation of an EV charging zone, erection of EV chargers, jet wash bays, sub-station enclosure, LV panel, meter cabinet, plant room and associated works at the Morrisons supermarket car park & petrol station. Permission ref. PA24/04489 was approved in March 2025. This application now excludes the proposed development at the petrol station area and primarily focuses on the provision of electric vehicle chargers and jet wash bays.

“MFG's proposal to install new EV charging points at the Morrisons site should be considered positively in light of the national context and the demand for the necessary infrastructure to support electric vehicle use across the UK.

“The proposals will contribute positively to the existing EV charging network, to the benefit of those utilising the strategic highway network surrounding the application site. The proposals will enhance the existing offer at the site, without compromising the efficient operation of the facility.”