South Cornwall · PL23 · Cornwall Council Central
New Builds Golant: PL23 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. What works on a PL23 plot rarely works elsewhere — Golant is a creekside settlement in the PL23 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.
Golant sits in South Cornwall — just off the A39; covering PL23 from Fowey, Bodinnick, Mixtow outward.
- Conservation Area
- Cornwall AONB
- Coastal exposure zone
- ✓Free first site visit, no obligation
- ✓30+ years of Cornwall Council approvals
- ✓Fixed-fee planning packages, no surprise invoices
- ✓Measured-survey accuracy from day one
Free · No obligation
Free Golant feasibility call
Tell us about your new build. We reply within 1 working day — no obligation.
Local proof — Most Golant 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 Golant 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 Golant 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 Golant 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 Golant application gets approved at eight weeks or stalls in committee. The waterside homes that dominate Golant (and continue out toward Mixtow) 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 Golant.
01
Self-build CIL exemption requires the right documentation in the right order; missing a step costs five-figure sums.
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
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
Cornwall's housing policy increasingly favours principal residence and replacement dwelling schemes over open-market new builds in some parishes.
Page purpose
Drawings only, or drawings through to handover in Golant?
Both routes are open on a PL23 project, and the honest answer depends on whether you already have a builder you trust. Plenty of Golant clients take the drawings, tender them locally, then come back to us for the build if the numbers do not stack up.
- Route one: feasibility, planning and a tender-ready technical pack
- Route two: the same pack, then the build under one contract
- Either way the survey and feasibility work is identical, so the decision can wait
- Fees quoted per stage against the PL23 scope, not as one opaque figure
Scope
Where our work starts and stops on a PL23 project
Not every project needs every stage. On a Golant job we scope to what the site and the consent route actually require.
Full design and build
One contract from first sketch to handover, with the same team on paper and on site.
Measured survey
An accurate record of what is actually there, which is where most avoidable cost is removed.
Building regulation drawings
Full Plans sets with sections, construction notes and coordinated structural information.
Structural coordination
Calculations coordinated with the drawings so building control sees one consistent story.
Construction and technical drawings
1:10 and 1:20 details for the parts of the job builders normally have to guess at.
Who this is for
Our footing in South Cornwall
- Designated-area work is routine here, so heritage and landscape statements are produced alongside the drawings rather than outsourced.
- Drawings, planning and building regulations are all produced in-house, so a new build enquiry does not get passed between firms.
- Design and build are offered from the same studio, which means the person answering your Golant questions has seen the detail built.
Planning rules change and every site is different. For the final position on your address, check with Cornwall Council as the local planning authority or the Planning Portal.
Keep reading
Related PL23 pages
Golant is covered from our Fowey run. Being a smaller place, the local detail matters more than the headline policy: lane access, neighbour proximity and what the immediate street already looks like.
Our process
How a Golant 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.
Quick check
Want a straight answer on whether your Golant project is worth pursuing?
Send a few details — we'll come back within 1 working day with a plain-English view on planning risk, likely cost band and whether it's a project we'd take on.
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Get a free feasibility view
For projects in Golant and the PL23 area.
Local fabric
Why a South Cornwall studio is the right fit for Golant new build.
Building stock
Across Golant (PL23) 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
Golant sits in the parish of Golant, which matters for how parish-level consultation lands on a new build application.
Coverage
We cover PL23 from our studio, with regular new build jobs also running in Fowey, Bodinnick, Mixtow. Most Golant site visits get booked within the same week.
How quickly can you visit a Golant site?
Usually within the same week. Golant (PL23) is on our regular South Cornwall run, alongside Fowey, Bodinnick, Mixtow. First visits are free and you'll get an honest feasibility view inside seven days.
Request a free visitFAQs
Golant New Builds — local questions answered.
- Can I build a new house on my plot in Golant?
- 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 Golant 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.
- We live in the house. Can a new build in Golant be done while we stay put?
- Usually yes for single-storey and rear work, with a temporary kitchen or bathroom arrangement agreed before the start. Whole-house remodels and roof work in Golant are often easier if you move out for a few weeks. We set that expectation at feasibility stage rather than halfway through.
Golant is part of Fowey
Golant sits inside the Fowey catchment — we cover both as one new build territory.
See New Builds in Fowey →Other services in Golant
Nearby places we cover
From initial feasibility to final handover, we manage new build projects across Golant with careful attention to what makes South Cornwall unique. Here that means the Conservation Area boundary decides the route before the design does.
Scope your Golant project stage by stage New Builds enquiries here usually start with a walk round.
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