North Cornwall · EX23
Design, planning and build for Flexbury new build
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 Flexbury project we take on begins with reading the local context — Flexbury is a town-edge neighbourhood in the EX23 area, where modern housing, larger gardens and edge-of-settlement plots create practical development opportunities, with a building stock that leans toward modern estates and infill plots.
Flexbury sits in North Cornwall — covering EX23 from Bude, Stratton, Poughill outward.
- Coastal exposure zone
- ✓ 30+ years of Cornwall Council approvals
- ✓ Plain-English feasibility before any drawings
- ✓ Measured-survey accuracy from day one
- ✓ One studio — design, planning and build under one roof
Local proof — Most Flexbury homeowners come to us after a new build quote elsewhere felt vague on planning — we lead with feasibility instead.
Get a free feasibility viewLocal context
Why Flexbury is its own job.
Cornwall Council's lens on Flexbury is consistent: neighbour amenity, highways, drainage and the transition from built-up edge to countryside are usually the planning pressure points. For new build specifically, coastal salt-laden air around Flexbury drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure. That's why we treat every Flexbury project as a EX23-area job first — not a generic Cornwall job with a postcode bolted on. The modern estates that dominate Flexbury (and continue out toward Poughill) 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 Flexbury.
01
Cornwall's housing policy increasingly favours principal residence and replacement dwelling schemes over open-market new builds in some parishes.
02
Off-grid services — package treatment plants, borehole supply, off-mains gas — are common on rural Cornish plots and need designing, not assuming.
03
Replacement dwellings have specific volumetric tests — getting the ratio between existing footprint and proposed floor area right is the difference between approval and refusal.
04
Self-build CIL exemption requires the right documentation in the right order; missing a step costs five-figure sums.
Our process
How a Flexbury 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 Flexbury homeowners pick a local studio for new build.
Building stock
Across Flexbury (EX23) we work on modern estates, bungalows, semis, detached houses, infill plots. Each stock type drives a different new build response — modern estates in particular needs careful detailing here.
Parish & policy
Flexbury sits in the parish of Flexbury, which matters for how parish-level consultation lands on a new build application.
Coverage
We cover EX23 from our studio, with regular new build jobs also running in Bude, Stratton, Poughill. Most Flexbury site visits get booked within the same week.
How quickly can you visit a Flexbury site?
Usually within the same week. Flexbury (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
Flexbury New Builds — local questions answered.
- 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. In Flexbury specifically, we'd start by checking the latest parish-level planning history before committing to a direction.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Flexbury is part of Bude
Flexbury sits inside the Bude catchment — we cover both as one new build territory.
See New Builds in Bude →Other services in Flexbury
Nearby places we cover
To sum up, our new build approach in Flexbury is built entirely around local Cornwall context, ensuring the best possible outcome for your property.