North Cornwall · TR7 · Cornwall Council North
Design, planning and build for Porth 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. A TR7 site visit comes before a Porth sketch, every time — Porth is a holiday-coast settlement in the TR7 area, with strong second-home demand and exposed coastal building conditions, with a building stock that leans toward replacement dwellings and detached houses.
Porth sits in North Cornwall — just off the A39; covering TR7 from Newquay, Cubert, Holywell Bay outward.
- Coastal exposure zone
- ✓Free first site visit, no obligation
- ✓Cornwall Council North sub-area regulars
- ✓Fixed-fee planning packages, no surprise invoices
- ✓Measured-survey accuracy from day one
Free · No obligation
Free Porth feasibility call
Tell us about your new build. We reply within 1 working day — no obligation.
Local proof — Most Porth 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 Porth is its own job.
Cornwall Council's lens on Porth is consistent: planning scrutiny often focuses on visual impact, occupancy, parking, overlooking and whether replacement buildings respect the coastal edge. For new build specifically, coastal salt-laden air around Porth drives detailing choices — fixings, render systems and timber treatments all need to be specified for exposure. That's why we treat every Porth project as a TR7-area job first — not a generic Cornwall job with a postcode bolted on. The replacement dwellings that dominate Porth (and continue out toward Holywell Bay) 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 Porth.
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
Replacement dwellings have specific volumetric tests — getting the ratio between existing footprint and proposed floor area right is the difference between approval and refusal.
03
Off-grid services — package treatment plants, borehole supply, off-mains gas — are common on rural Cornish plots and need designing, not assuming.
04
Self-build CIL exemption requires the right documentation in the right order; missing a step costs five-figure sums.
Page purpose
Drawings only, or drawings through to handover in Porth?
Both routes are open on a TR7 project, and the honest answer depends on whether you already have a builder you trust. Plenty of Porth 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 TR7 scope, not as one opaque figure
Scope
Where our work starts and stops on a TR7 project
Clients in Porth take different slices of this list, and that is deliberate.
Structural coordination
Calculations coordinated with the drawings so building control sees one consistent story.
Planning application drawings
Existing and proposed plans, elevations, site and block plans drawn to validation standard.
Construction and technical drawings
1:10 and 1:20 details for the parts of the job builders normally have to guess at.
Full design and build
One contract from first sketch to handover, with the same team on paper and on site.
Building regulation drawings
Full Plans sets with sections, construction notes and coordinated structural information.
Who this is for
Our footing in North Cornwall
- Drawings, planning and building regulations are all produced in-house, so a new build enquiry does not get passed between firms.
- Applications for Porth are handled through Cornwall Council, with Bodmin the nearest planning office we deal with regularly.
- Design and build are offered from the same studio, which means the person answering your Porth 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 TR7 pages
Porth is covered from our Newquay 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 Porth 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 Porth 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 Porth and the TR7 area.
Local fabric
Why a North Cornwall studio is the right fit for Porth new build.
Building stock
Across Porth (TR7) we work on coastal bungalows, holiday lets, second homes, detached houses, replacement dwellings. Each stock type drives a different new build response — replacement dwellings in particular needs careful detailing here.
Parish & policy
Porth sits in the parish of Porth, which matters for how parish-level consultation lands on a new build application.
Coverage
We cover TR7 from our studio, with regular new build jobs also running in Newquay, Cubert, Holywell Bay. Most Porth site visits get booked within the same week.
How quickly can you visit a Porth site?
Usually within the same week. Porth (TR7) is on our regular North Cornwall run, alongside Newquay, Cubert, Holywell Bay. First visits are free and you'll get an honest feasibility view inside seven days.
Request a free visitFAQs
Porth New Builds — local questions answered.
- Can I build a new house on my plot in Porth?
- 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 Porth specifically, we'd start by checking the latest parish-level planning history 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.
- 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.
- We live in the house. Can a new build in Porth 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 Porth are often easier if you move out for a few weeks. We set that expectation at feasibility stage rather than halfway through.
- 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.
Porth is part of Newquay
Porth sits inside the Newquay catchment — we cover both as one new build territory.
See New Builds in Newquay →Other services in Porth
Nearby places we cover
The new build jobs we're proudest of in Porth are the ones where the planning route was clear before a single elevation was drawn. Exposure detailing is a spec decision, not a finish decision, on this coast.
Get the TR7 planning view before you draw Bodmin handles the planning end for TR7.
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