North Cornwall · EX23
New Builds Stratton: EX23 planning, North 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. A EX23 site visit comes before a Stratton sketch, every time — Stratton is a market village in the EX23 area, acting as a local service centre for surrounding farms and hamlets, with a building stock that leans toward edge estates and detached houses.
Stratton sits in North Cornwall — covering EX23 from Bude, Poughill, Flexbury outward.
- Conservation Area
- ✓ Free first site visit, no obligation
- ✓ 30+ years of Cornwall Council approvals
- ✓ Cornwall Council regulars across every sub-area
- ✓ Local to North Cornwall — not a national franchise
Local proof — Most Stratton 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 Stratton is its own job.
Town-centre heritage, parking, shopfront character and edge-of-settlement growth all need to be balanced in applications. That sets the scene before any design work begins. For new build specifically, parts of Stratton sit within a designated Conservation Area, which means materials, fenestration and roof pitches all need to read sympathetically with the existing streetscape. It's the kind of detail that decides whether a Stratton application gets approved at eight weeks or stalls in committee. The edge estates that dominate Stratton (and continue out toward Flexbury) 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 Stratton.
01
Cornwall's housing policy increasingly favours principal residence and replacement dwelling schemes over open-market new builds in some parishes.
02
Off-grid services — package treatment plants, borehole supply, off-mains gas — are common on rural Cornish plots and need designing, not assuming.
03
Self-build CIL exemption requires the right documentation in the right order; missing a step costs five-figure sums.
04
AONB and Heritage Coast designations apply to large stretches of the county; isolated new builds outside settlement boundaries face a much higher policy bar.
Our process
How a Stratton 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.
Local fabric
Why a North Cornwall studio is the right fit for Stratton new build.
Building stock
Across Stratton (EX23) we work on stone cottages, Victorian terraces, shops with flats above, detached houses, edge estates. Each stock type drives a different new build response — edge estates in particular needs careful detailing here.
Parish & policy
Stratton sits in the parish of Stratton, 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 Bude, Poughill, Flexbury. Most Stratton site visits get booked within the same week.
How quickly can you visit a Stratton site?
Usually within the same week. Stratton (EX23) is on our regular North Cornwall run, alongside Bude, Poughill, Flexbury. First visits are free and you'll get an honest feasibility view inside seven days.
Request a free visitFAQs
Stratton New Builds — local questions answered.
- 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. In Stratton specifically, we'd start by checking the Conservation Area boundary before committing to a direction.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Stratton is part of Bude
Stratton sits inside the Bude catchment — we cover both as one new build territory.
See New Builds in Bude →Other services in Stratton
Nearby places we cover
Most Stratton new build enquiries start with one honest conversation about what's actually allowed — and that conversation costs nothing.