North Cornwall · EX23 · Cornwall Council North
Design, planning and build for Morwenstow extension
Extensions are the bread and butter of Cornish homes — adding the kitchen-diner the original layout never had, the bedroom for a growing family, or the light and views the back of the house should always have had. Every Morwenstow project we take on begins with reading the local context — Morwenstow is a coastal village in the EX23 area, where sea exposure, views and seasonal pressure shape most building decisions, with a building stock that leans toward rendered coastal houses and granite cottages.
Morwenstow sits in North Cornwall — just off the A39; covering EX23 from Bude, Stratton, Poughill outward.
- Cornwall AONB
- Coastal exposure zone
- ✓Free first site visit, no obligation
- ✓One studio — design, planning and build under one roof
- ✓Local to North Cornwall — not a national franchise
- ✓Same team on paper as on site
Free · No obligation
Free Morwenstow feasibility call
Tell us about your extension. We reply within 1 working day — no obligation.
Local proof — We typically have one or two extension jobs live in the EX23 area at any time, so the local planning officers know our drawings on sight.
Get a free feasibility viewLocal context
Why Morwenstow is its own job.
Cornwall Council's lens on Morwenstow is consistent: coastal setting and landscape sensitivity mean rooflines, glazing, drainage and external materials need careful handling from the first sketch. For extension specifically, the surrounding landscape falls inside the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, so massing, height and landscape impact carry extra weight in any planning decision; coastal salt-laden air around Morwenstow drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure. That's why we treat every Morwenstow project as a EX23-area job first — not a generic Cornwall job with a postcode bolted on. The rendered coastal houses that dominate Morwenstow (and continue out toward Poughill) set the tone for any extension scheme here.
Planning note
Most extensions in Cornwall are either permitted development or a straightforward householder application — but Conservation Area and AONB sites need a more careful design conversation upfront.
What we focus on
Extensions considerations specific to Morwenstow.
01
Wind and sea-spray exposure can drive material choices on west-facing extensions; we detail accordingly.
02
Permitted development for rear extensions runs to four metres on a detached house, three on a semi or terrace — but Article 4 areas remove this in some parishes.
03
Extensions over a certain proportion of the original house trigger full Part L upgrade obligations to the existing building — worth knowing before brief is set.
04
Cornish granite and slate-hung walls react differently to new openings than modern brickwork — lintel choice and structural sequencing matter.
Page purpose
Drawings only, or drawings through to handover in Morwenstow?
Both routes are open on a EX23 project, and the honest answer depends on whether you already have a builder you trust. Plenty of Morwenstow clients take the drawings, tender them locally, then come back to us for the build if the numbers do not stack up.
- Route one: feasibility, planning and a tender-ready technical pack
- Route two: the same pack, then the build under one contract
- Either way the survey and feasibility work is identical, so the decision can wait
- Fees quoted per stage against the EX23 scope, not as one opaque figure
Scope
Where our work starts and stops on a EX23 project
Clients in Morwenstow take different slices of this list, and that is deliberate.
Full design and build
One contract from first sketch to handover, with the same team on paper and on site.
Measured survey
An accurate record of what is actually there, which is where most avoidable cost is removed.
Building regulation drawings
Full Plans sets with sections, construction notes and coordinated structural information.
Structural coordination
Calculations coordinated with the drawings so building control sees one consistent story.
Construction and technical drawings
1:10 and 1:20 details for the parts of the job builders normally have to guess at.
Who this is for
Our footing in North Cornwall
- Designated-area work is routine here, so heritage and landscape statements are produced alongside the drawings rather than outsourced.
- Drawings, planning and building regulations are all produced in-house, so a extension enquiry does not get passed between firms.
- Design and build are offered from the same studio, which means the person answering your Morwenstow questions has seen the detail built.
Planning rules change and every site is different. For the final position on your address, check with Cornwall Council as the local planning authority or the Planning Portal.
Keep reading
Related EX23 pages
Morwenstow is covered from our Bude run. Being a smaller place, the local detail matters more than the headline policy: lane access, neighbour proximity and what the immediate street already looks like.
Our process
How a Morwenstow extension project runs.
Step 1
Brief
We meet on site, talk through how you live now and what's missing from the current layout.
Step 2
Design
Two or three sketch directions with rough budgets, then refinement of the chosen route.
Step 3
Approvals
Planning or Cert of Lawfulness, then a full building regs package.
Step 4
Build
Either through your own builder with our drawings, or as a full build by our team.
Step 5
Handover
Snag, certify, hand over the keys to your new space.
Typical single-storey rear extensions run twelve to twenty weeks on site; two-storey and wraparound projects sixteen to thirty weeks.
Quick check
Want a straight answer on whether your Morwenstow project is worth pursuing?
Send a few details — we'll come back within 1 working day with a plain-English view on planning risk, likely cost band and whether it's a project we'd take on.
Free · No obligation
Get a free feasibility view
For projects in Morwenstow and the EX23 area.
Local fabric
Why Morwenstow homeowners pick a local studio for extension.
Building stock
Across Morwenstow (EX23) we work on granite cottages, rendered coastal houses, holiday homes, bungalows, replacement dwellings. Each stock type drives a different extension response — rendered coastal houses in particular needs careful detailing here.
Parish & policy
Morwenstow sits in the parish of Morwenstow, which matters for how parish-level consultation lands on a extension application.
Coverage
We cover EX23 from our studio, with regular extension jobs also running in Bude, Stratton, Poughill. Most Morwenstow site visits get booked within the same week.
How quickly can you visit a Morwenstow site?
Usually within the same week. Morwenstow (EX23) is on our regular North Cornwall run, alongside Bude, Stratton, Poughill. First visits are free and you'll get an honest feasibility view inside seven days.
Request a free visitFAQs
Morwenstow Extensions — local questions answered.
- We live in the house. Can a extension in Morwenstow be done while we stay put?
- Usually yes for single-storey and rear work, with a temporary kitchen or bathroom arrangement agreed before the start. Whole-house remodels and roof work in Morwenstow are often easier if you move out for a few weeks. We set that expectation at feasibility stage rather than halfway through.
- How long does the whole process take?
- Allow roughly three months for design and approvals, then twelve to twenty weeks on site for a typical single-storey extension. Wraparounds and two-storey add-ons take longer, mostly through approval and groundworks. In Morwenstow specifically, we'd start by checking AONB landscape sensitivity before committing to a direction.
- Do I need planning permission for an extension?
- Often no — single-storey rear extensions, side extensions and modest two-storey additions can sit inside permitted development on a typical detached house. Conservation Areas, AONB and Article 4 zones remove some of those rights, so we always check the address first.
- Will my house be liveable during the build?
- For most rear and side extensions, yes — we sequence the works so the kitchen and one bathroom stay functional until the new build is watertight and connected.
- How much does an extension cost in Cornwall?
- Build costs in Cornwall typically run from around £2,200 to £3,200 per square metre for a good-quality single-storey extension, more for kitchen-grade fit-out or complex glazing. We give a realistic budget before drawings start, not after.
- Can you handle the build as well as the design?
- Yes — that's the whole point of the studio. One contract, one point of contact, no finger-pointing between architect and builder when something needs a decision on site.
Morwenstow is part of Bude
Morwenstow sits inside the Bude catchment — we cover both as one extension territory.
See Extensions in Bude →Other services in Morwenstow
Nearby places we cover
From initial feasibility to final handover, we manage extension projects across Morwenstow with careful attention to what makes North Cornwall unique. Parish-level consultation in Morwenstow is worth planning for, not reacting to.
Book a site visit in the EX23 area Bodmin handles the planning end for EX23.
Free · No obligation
Book a free visit in Morwenstow
No obligation. Reply usually same working day.