South Cornwall · PL24
Design, planning and build for Polkerris 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. A PL24 site visit comes before a Polkerris sketch, every time — Polkerris is a harbour-side settlement in the PL24 area, with compact lanes, coastal exposure and a working-waterfront character, with a building stock that leans toward harbour cottages and steep-lane houses.
Polkerris sits in South Cornwall — covering PL24 from Fowey, Golant, Bodinnick outward.
- Conservation Area
- Cornwall AONB
- Coastal exposure zone
- ✓ 30+ years of Cornwall Council approvals
- ✓ Local to South Cornwall — not a national franchise
- ✓ Same team on paper as on site
- ✓ Fixed-fee planning packages, no surprise invoices
Local proof — We typically have one or two extension jobs live in the PL24 area at any time, so the local planning officers know our drawings on sight.
Get a free feasibility viewLocal context
Why Polkerris is its own job.
Cornwall Council's lens on Polkerris is consistent: harbour settings bring tight access, overlooking, flood risk and heritage character into play on even modest alterations. For extension specifically, parts of Polkerris sit within a designated Conservation Area, which means materials, fenestration and roof pitches all need to read sympathetically with the existing streetscape; 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 Polkerris drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure. That's why we treat every Polkerris project as a PL24-area job first — not a generic Cornwall job with a postcode bolted on. The harbour cottages that dominate Polkerris (and continue out toward Bodinnick) 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 Polkerris.
01
Cornish granite and slate-hung walls react differently to new openings than modern brickwork — lintel choice and structural sequencing matter.
02
Drainage on older Cornish properties is rarely on a clean modern map; CCTV survey before design is often money well spent.
03
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.
04
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.
Our process
How a Polkerris 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.
Local fabric
Choosing a extension team that actually knows PL24.
Building stock
Across Polkerris (PL24) we work on harbour cottages, net lofts, granite terraces, holiday flats, steep-lane houses. Each stock type drives a different extension response — harbour cottages in particular needs careful detailing here.
Parish & policy
Polkerris sits in the parish of Polkerris, which matters for how parish-level consultation lands on a extension application.
Coverage
We cover PL24 from our studio, with regular extension jobs also running in Fowey, Golant, Bodinnick. Most Polkerris site visits get booked within the same week.
How quickly can you visit a Polkerris site?
Usually within the same week. Polkerris (PL24) is on our regular South Cornwall run, alongside Fowey, Golant, Bodinnick. First visits are free and you'll get an honest feasibility view inside seven days.
Request a free visitFAQs
Polkerris Extensions — local questions answered.
- 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 Polkerris specifically, we'd start by checking the Conservation Area boundary 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.
- 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.
- What about the Party Wall Act?
- If you share a wall with a neighbour or build close to a boundary, the Act applies. We flag it early, recommend a surveyor and keep the programme aligned with the notice period.
Polkerris is part of Fowey
Polkerris sits inside the Fowey catchment — we cover both as one extension territory.
See Extensions in Fowey →Other services in Polkerris
Nearby places we cover
Most Polkerris extension enquiries start with one honest conversation about what's actually allowed — and that conversation costs nothing.