East Cornwall · PL18
New Builds that reads Drakewalls properly
A bespoke new build is the longest project we do, and the most rewarding. From plot appraisal through planning, building regulations and construction, you work with one team from the first sketch to the handover walk-round. The Drakewalls version of this work has its own character — Drakewalls is a former mining settlement in the PL18 area, with granite terraces, chapel buildings and industrial landscape character still visible, with a building stock that leans toward post-war estates and granite terraces.
Drakewalls sits in East Cornwall — covering PL18 from Callington, Stoke Climsland, Linkinhorne outward.
- Cornish Mining World Heritage Site
- ✓ One studio — design, planning and build under one roof
- ✓ Local to East Cornwall — not a national franchise
- ✓ Same team on paper as on site
- ✓ Fixed-fee planning packages, no surprise invoices
Local watch-list
Local snags worth knowing before drawing a Drakewalls new build.
Watch #1
World Heritage Site assessment on changes visible in the mining landscape
Who this is for
Drakewalls runs the full mix — owner-occupier, holiday-let, commercial and the occasional smallholding — so we scope every new build enquiry from the use-class up.
Local context
Why Drakewalls is its own job.
Around Drakewalls (PL18), mining heritage, old plot widths and traditional materials make proportion and detailing more important than generic extension templates. For new build specifically, the wider area forms part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site, which adds a heritage assessment layer to most material changes. Reading Drakewalls properly up front saves more time than any drawing tool ever will. Most of our new build work in Drakewalls lands on post-war estates, with detailing that has to nod to the wider Stoke Climsland streetscape.
Planning note
Cornwall's planning policy on new dwellings is among the most restrictive in England outside Greater London. The first conversation should be a planning conversation, not a design one.
What we focus on
New Builds considerations specific to Drakewalls.
01
Cornwall's housing policy increasingly favours principal residence and replacement dwelling schemes over open-market new builds in some parishes.
02
AONB and Heritage Coast designations apply to large stretches of the county; isolated new builds outside settlement boundaries face a much higher policy bar.
03
Self-build CIL exemption requires the right documentation in the right order; missing a step costs five-figure sums.
04
Replacement dwellings have specific volumetric tests — getting the ratio between existing footprint and proposed floor area right is the difference between approval and refusal.
Our process
How a Drakewalls new build project runs.
Step 1
Plot review
Site visit, planning history check, designation review and an honest feasibility verdict.
Step 2
Concept design
Sketches that test the plot in massing, orientation and approach before any drawings are committed.
Step 3
Planning
Pre-app, full planning, consultee management and condition discharge.
Step 4
Technical design and build prep
Building regs, structural design, services strategy and contractor procurement.
Step 5
Construction and handover
Build delivered under contract administration with regular client reviews.
Most bespoke new builds run eighteen to thirty months from instruction to keys, depending on site, planning route and build complexity.
FAQs
Drakewalls New Builds — local questions answered.
- How long does the whole project take?
- Allow six to twelve months for design and approvals, then ten to fourteen months on site for a typical four-bedroom new build. Complex sites or long planning routes extend that. In Drakewalls specifically, we'd start by checking the latest parish-level planning history before committing to a direction.
- What about utilities, drainage and access?
- All designed and applied for as part of the package — water, electric, off-mains drainage where mains isn't viable, and highways access agreement with Cornwall Council where required.
- What's a replacement dwelling and is mine eligible?
- If a habitable dwelling exists on the plot, you can often replace it — within volumetric and design constraints set by Cornwall's Local Plan. Derelict structures sometimes qualify, sometimes don't, depending on lawful use history.
- Can I build a new house on my plot in Cornwall?
- Sometimes yes, sometimes no — and the honest answer needs a planning policy review of the specific site. Settlement boundary, designations, access and policy on isolated dwellings all weigh in. We give a frank read at first consultation rather than a sales pitch.
- How much does a new build cost?
- Realistic budgets in Cornwall start around £2,800 per square metre for a good-quality build and rise quickly with bespoke joinery, large glazing, complex sites and high-spec finishes. We work to your number, not against it.
Drakewalls is part of Callington
Drakewalls sits inside the Callington catchment — we cover both as one new build territory.
See New Builds in Callington →Local proof — Recent new build enquiries from Drakewalls have clustered around post-war estates — we know the route through Cornwall Council on these.
Get a free feasibility viewOther services in Drakewalls
Nearby places we cover
If you're considering a new build project in the PL18 area, our deep understanding of Drakewalls's architectural character can help navigate the process smoothly.