West Cornwall · TR20

Bespoke New Builds in Long Rock

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. In Long Rock, that work is shaped by the place itself — Long Rock is a coastal village on Mounts Bay between Penzance and Marazion, much expanded by twentieth-century development along the A30 and railway corridor, with a building stock that leans toward 1930s seafront bungalows and post-war estates.

  • Coastal exposure zone

Local context

Why Long Rock is its own job.

Outside Conservation Area and AONB but the seafront is environmentally sensitive; flood zone constraints affect properties south of the railway line. Ludgvan parish policy applies. For new build specifically, coastal salt-laden air around Long Rock drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure. That's why we treat every Long Rock project as a TR20-area job first — not a generic Cornwall job with a postcode bolted on.

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 Long Rock.

  • 01

    AONB and Heritage Coast designations apply to large stretches of the county; isolated new builds outside settlement boundaries face a much higher policy bar.

  • 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.

Our process

How a Long Rock new build project runs.

  1. Step 1

    Plot review

    Site visit, planning history check, designation review and an honest feasibility verdict.

  2. Step 2

    Concept design

    Sketches that test the plot in massing, orientation and approach before any drawings are committed.

  3. Step 3

    Planning

    Pre-app, full planning, consultee management and condition discharge.

  4. Step 4

    Technical design and build prep

    Building regs, structural design, services strategy and contractor procurement.

  5. 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

Long Rock New Builds — common questions.

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 Long Rock 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 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.

Planning a new build project in Long Rock?

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