Mid Cornwall · TR1
Bespoke New Builds in Malpas
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 Malpas version of this work has its own character — Malpas is a creekside settlement in the TR1 area, with waterside homes, wooded valleys and narrow-lane access shaping the brief, with a building stock that leans toward converted barns and creekside cottages.
Malpas sits in Mid Cornwall — covering TR1 from Truro, St Michael Penkivel, Calenick outward.
- Conservation Area
- Coastal exposure zone
- ✓ Fixed-fee planning packages, no surprise invoices
- ✓ Measured-survey accuracy from day one
- ✓ One studio — design, planning and build under one roof
- ✓ Local to Mid Cornwall — not a national franchise
Local watch-list
The TR1 constraints that shape a new build brief.
Watch #1
Conservation Area material and fenestration controls in central Malpas
Watch #2
Coastal exposure driving fixing, render and joinery spec
Who this is for
Malpas 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 Malpas is its own job.
Creekside ecology, flood risk, trees and views across the water often matter as much as the building form itself. For new build specifically, parts of Malpas sit within a designated Conservation Area, which means materials, fenestration and roof pitches all need to read sympathetically with the existing streetscape; coastal salt-laden air around Malpas drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure. So every Malpas job runs as a TR1-specific piece of work — local policy, local fabric, local builders. Most of our new build work in Malpas lands on converted barns, with detailing that has to nod to the wider St Michael Penkivel 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 Malpas.
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.
Our process
How a Malpas 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
Malpas 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 Malpas specifically, we'd start by checking the Conservation Area boundary 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.
- 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.
Malpas is part of Truro
Malpas sits inside the Truro catchment — we cover both as one new build territory.
See New Builds in Truro →Local proof — Recent new build enquiries from Malpas have clustered around converted barns — we know the route through Cornwall Council on these.
Get a free feasibility viewOther services in Malpas
Nearby places we cover
If you're considering a new build project in the TR1 area, our deep understanding of Malpas's architectural character can help navigate the process smoothly.