Roseland · TR2
Extensions Portscatho: TR2 planning, Roseland fabric
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 TR2 site visit comes before a Portscatho sketch, every time — Portscatho is a small Roseland fishing village and twin to Gerrans on the headland, with a tight cliff-edge Conservation Area, working harbour and a high proportion of historic cottages, with a building stock that leans toward 1950s and 1960s bungalows above the village and Edwardian villas.
Portscatho sits in Roseland — covering TR2 from St Mawes outward.
- Conservation Area
- Cornwall AONB
- Coastal exposure zone
- Rural / open-countryside policy area
- ✓ Conservation Area experience built into the fee
- ✓ Free first site visit, no obligation
- ✓ Fixed-fee planning packages, no surprise invoices
- ✓ Measured-survey accuracy from day one
Local proof — We typically have one or two extension jobs live in the TR2 area at any time, so the local planning officers know our drawings on sight.
Get a free feasibility viewLocal context
Why Portscatho is its own job.
Conservation Area, AONB and Heritage Coast designations apply. Gerrans parish operates a strong principal residence policy on new dwellings. That sets the scene before any design work begins. For extension specifically, parts of Portscatho 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 Portscatho drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure; Cornwall Council's Local Plan applies tighter tests to isolated rural dwellings here, so design rationale and policy fit need to be set out clearly from the outset. It's the kind of detail that decides whether a Portscatho application gets approved at eight weeks or stalls in committee. The 1950s and 1960s bungalows above the village that dominate Portscatho (and continue out toward St Mawes) 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 Portscatho.
01
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.
02
Wind and sea-spray exposure can drive material choices on west-facing extensions; we detail accordingly.
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
Cornish granite and slate-hung walls react differently to new openings than modern brickwork — lintel choice and structural sequencing matter.
Our process
How a Portscatho 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 TR2.
Building stock
Across Portscatho (TR2) we work on fishermen's cottages, Edwardian villas, 1950s and 1960s bungalows above the village, modern coastal architect-designed homes. Each stock type drives a different extension response — 1950s and 1960s bungalows above the village in particular needs careful detailing here.
Parish & policy
Portscatho sits in the parish of Gerrans, which matters for how parish-level consultation lands on a extension application.
Coverage
We cover TR2 from our studio, with regular extension jobs also running in St Mawes, Veryan. Most Portscatho site visits get booked within the same week.
How quickly can you visit a Portscatho site?
Usually within the same week. Portscatho (TR2) is on our regular Roseland run, alongside St Mawes, Veryan. First visits are free and you'll get an honest feasibility view inside seven days.
Request a free visitFAQs
Portscatho 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 Portscatho 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.
- 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.
Other services in Portscatho
Nearby places we cover
Most Portscatho extension enquiries start with one honest conversation about what's actually allowed — and that conversation costs nothing.