South Cornwall · TR11
New Builds Durgan: TR11 planning, South Cornwall fabric
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. Every Durgan project we take on begins with reading the local context — Durgan is a creekside settlement in the TR11 area, with waterside homes, wooded valleys and narrow-lane access shaping the brief, with a building stock that leans toward waterside homes and converted barns.
Durgan sits in South Cornwall — covering TR11 from Mawnan Smith, Mawnan, Truro outward.
- Conservation Area
- Cornwall AONB
- Coastal exposure zone
- ✓ Plain-English feasibility before any drawings
- ✓ Conservation Area experience built into the fee
- ✓ One studio — design, planning and build under one roof
- ✓ Measured-survey accuracy from day one
Local proof — Most Durgan new build clients we work with are second-time builders — they've seen the templated approach fail once already.
Get a free feasibility viewLocal context
Why Durgan is its own job.
Creekside ecology, flood risk, trees and views across the water often matter as much as the building form itself. That sets the scene before any design work begins. For new build specifically, parts of Durgan 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 Durgan drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure. It's the kind of detail that decides whether a Durgan application gets approved at eight weeks or stalls in committee. The waterside homes that dominate Durgan (and continue out toward Truro) set the tone for any new build scheme here.
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 Durgan.
01
Off-grid services — package treatment plants, borehole supply, off-mains gas — are common on rural Cornish plots and need designing, not assuming.
02
Self-build CIL exemption requires the right documentation in the right order; missing a step costs five-figure sums.
03
AONB and Heritage Coast designations apply to large stretches of the county; isolated new builds outside settlement boundaries face a much higher policy bar.
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 Durgan 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.
Local fabric
Why Durgan homeowners pick a local studio for new build.
Building stock
Across Durgan (TR11) we work on creekside cottages, detached houses, boat sheds, converted barns, waterside homes. Each stock type drives a different new build response — waterside homes in particular needs careful detailing here.
Parish & policy
Durgan sits in the parish of Durgan, which matters for how parish-level consultation lands on a new build application.
Coverage
We cover TR11 from our studio, with regular new build jobs also running in Mawnan Smith, Mawnan, Truro. Most Durgan site visits get booked within the same week.
How quickly can you visit a Durgan site?
Usually within the same week. Durgan (TR11) is on our regular South Cornwall run, alongside Mawnan Smith, Mawnan, Truro. First visits are free and you'll get an honest feasibility view inside seven days.
Request a free visitFAQs
Durgan New Builds — local questions answered.
- Can I build a new house on my plot in Durgan?
- 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. In Durgan specifically, we'd start by checking the Conservation Area boundary before committing to a direction.
- Can you handle a self-build for me?
- Yes — from feasibility to handover. Many of our clients start as 'self-builders' on paper, then hand the actual build to us once they realise how much project management it takes.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Durgan is part of Mawnan Smith
Durgan sits inside the Mawnan Smith catchment — we cover both as one new build territory.
See New Builds in Mawnan Smith →Other services in Durgan
Nearby places we cover
To sum up, our new build approach in Durgan is built entirely around local Cornwall context, ensuring the best possible outcome for your property.