East Cornwall · PL13
Design, planning and build for Widegates 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 PL13 plot rarely works elsewhere — Widegates is a commuter village in the PL13 area, with everyday family housing, edge-of-village plots and quick routes to its parent town, with a building stock that leans toward post-war semis and garden infill plots.
Widegates sits in East Cornwall — covering PL13 from Looe, Duloe, Herodsfoot outward.
- Rural / open-countryside policy area
- ✓ rural policy area experience built into the fee
- ✓ Same team on paper as on site
- ✓ Fixed-fee planning packages, no surprise invoices
- ✓ Measured-survey accuracy from day one
Local proof — Most Widegates 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 Widegates is its own job.
Cornwall Council's lens on Widegates is consistent: applications here usually turn on neighbour amenity, parking, overlooking and whether new work fits the rhythm of existing streets. For new build specifically, 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 Widegates project as a PL13-area job first — not a generic Cornwall job with a postcode bolted on. The post-war semis that dominate Widegates (and continue out toward Herodsfoot) 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 Widegates.
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
Replacement dwellings have specific volumetric tests — getting the ratio between existing footprint and proposed floor area right is the difference between approval and refusal.
04
Self-build CIL exemption requires the right documentation in the right order; missing a step costs five-figure sums.
Our process
How a Widegates 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
Choosing a new build team that actually knows PL13.
Building stock
Across Widegates (PL13) we work on post-war semis, bungalows, modern estates, older cottages, garden infill plots. Each stock type drives a different new build response — post-war semis in particular needs careful detailing here.
Parish & policy
Widegates sits in the parish of Widegates, which matters for how parish-level consultation lands on a new build application.
Coverage
We cover PL13 from our studio, with regular new build jobs also running in Looe, Duloe, Herodsfoot. Most Widegates site visits get booked within the same week.
How quickly can you visit a Widegates site?
Usually within the same week. Widegates (PL13) is on our regular East Cornwall run, alongside Looe, Duloe, Herodsfoot. First visits are free and you'll get an honest feasibility view inside seven days.
Request a free visitFAQs
Widegates New Builds — local questions answered.
- Can I build a new house on my plot in Widegates?
- 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 Widegates 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.
- 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.
Widegates is part of Looe
Widegates sits inside the Looe catchment — we cover both as one new build territory.
See New Builds in Looe →Other services in Widegates
Nearby places we cover
Designing a new build in Widegates is as much about reading the parish as reading the brief; we do both, and the planning outcomes follow.