North Cornwall · EX23 · Cornwall Council North
Design, planning and build for Crackington Haven 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. What works on a EX23 plot rarely works elsewhere — Crackington Haven is an AONB north coast cove village under the dramatic 700-foot cliffs of Cambeak, with a tight Conservation Area at the cove and a high-end coastal property market, with a building stock that leans toward 1960s coastal bungalows and Edwardian houses.
Crackington Haven sits in North Cornwall — just off the A39; covering EX23 from Boscastle, Widemouth Bay, Bude outward.
- Conservation Area
- Cornwall AONB
- Coastal exposure zone
- Rural / open-countryside policy area
- ✓Cornwall Council North sub-area regulars
- ✓One studio — design, planning and build under one roof
- ✓Local to North Cornwall — not a national franchise
- ✓Same team on paper as on site
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Free Crackington Haven feasibility call
Tell us about your new build. We reply within 1 working day — no obligation.
Local proof — Most Crackington Haven 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 Crackington Haven is its own job.
Cornwall Council's lens on Crackington Haven is consistent: conservation Area covers the cove village; AONB and Heritage Coast across the parish. Cliff-edge sites and the Heritage Coast designation set the strictest controls in north Cornwall. For new build specifically, parts of Crackington Haven 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 Crackington Haven drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure; Cornwall Council's Local Plan applies tighter tests to isolated rural dwellings here, so design rationale and policy fit need to be set out clearly from the outset. That's why we treat every Crackington Haven project as a EX23-area job first — not a generic Cornwall job with a postcode bolted on. The 1960s coastal bungalows that dominate Crackington Haven (and continue out toward Bude) 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 Crackington Haven.
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
Off-grid services — package treatment plants, borehole supply, off-mains gas — are common on rural Cornish plots and need designing, not assuming.
04
Cornwall's housing policy increasingly favours principal residence and replacement dwelling schemes over open-market new builds in some parishes.
Keep reading
Related EX23 pages
Crackington Haven is covered from our Boscastle 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.
Who this is for
Our footing in North 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 Crackington Haven 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.
Scope
Where our work starts and stops on a EX23 project
Not every project needs every stage. On a Crackington Haven job we scope to what the site and the consent route actually require.
Heritage and design statements
Written justification where designation makes the design case as important as the drawing.
Building regulation drawings
Full Plans sets with sections, construction notes and coordinated structural information.
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.
Structural coordination
Calculations coordinated with the drawings so building control sees one consistent story.
Page purpose
Drawings only, or drawings through to handover in Crackington Haven?
Both routes are open on a EX23 project, and the honest answer depends on whether you already have a builder you trust. Plenty of Crackington Haven 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 EX23 scope, not as one opaque figure
Our process
How a Crackington Haven 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 Crackington Haven 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 Crackington Haven and the EX23 area.
Local fabric
Why a North Cornwall studio is the right fit for Crackington Haven new build.
Building stock
Across Crackington Haven (EX23) we work on traditional cliff-cove cottages, Victorian villas, Edwardian houses, 1960s coastal bungalows, modern AONB-sensitive replacement dwellings. Each stock type drives a different new build response — 1960s coastal bungalows in particular needs careful detailing here.
Parish & policy
Crackington Haven sits in the parish of St Gennys, 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 Boscastle, Widemouth Bay, Bude. Most Crackington Haven site visits get booked within the same week.
How quickly can you visit a Crackington Haven site?
Usually within the same week. Crackington Haven (EX23) is on our regular North Cornwall run, alongside Boscastle, Widemouth Bay, Bude. First visits are free and you'll get an honest feasibility view inside seven days.
Request a free visitFAQs
Crackington Haven New Builds — local questions answered.
- Can I build a new house on my plot in Crackington Haven?
- 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 Crackington Haven 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.
- 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.
- 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 Crackington Haven 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 Crackington Haven are often easier if you move out for a few weeks. We set that expectation at feasibility stage rather than halfway through.
- 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.
Crackington Haven is part of Boscastle
Crackington Haven sits inside the Boscastle catchment — we cover both as one new build territory.
See New Builds in Boscastle →Other services in Crackington Haven
Nearby places we cover
In short: take the drawings and run your own build in Crackington Haven, or keep it under one contract. Both routes start the same way. Landscape impact is the deciding test on most visible plots around here.
Book a site visit in the EX23 area Bodmin handles the planning end for EX23.
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Book a free visit in Crackington Haven
No obligation. Reply usually same working day.