Cornwall Council Planning Applications

Search and explore Cornwall Council planning applications. Planning Signal is your free alternative to the Cornwall Council planning portal — search all recent applications, track decisions, and get alerts on new developments in the area.

Region: South West

About Cornwall Council

Cornwall Council, the local authority for Cornwall in South West England, became a unitary authority in 2009 after absorbing district-level responsibilities following the abolition of the county's districts. The council's headquarters is located at Lys Kernow in Truro. This non-metropolitan county, which is marginally smaller than the ceremonial county that includes the Isles of Scilly, plays a crucial role in managing planning applications and local governance in the region.

Governance

Leader: Leigh Frost (Liberal Democrats), since 20 May 2025

Chair: Rob Nolan (Liberal Democrats), since 20 May 2025

Chief Executive: Kate Kennally, since 11 January 2016

Seats: 87 (term: 4 years)

Founded: 1 April 1889

Last election: 1 May 2025

Political composition: Liberal Democrats (26), Independents (16), Reform UK (23), Conservative (7), Labour (4), Green Party (3), Mebyon Kernow (3)

Council Planning Features

Planning Applications - Browse all applications submitted to Cornwall Council, filterable by status, type, and size
Planning Activity Summary - Approval rates, average decision times, and application type distribution for Cornwall Council
Keyword Scorecard - See how often applications in Cornwall Council mention key planning constraints like heritage, flood risk, and environmental concerns
Council Boundary Map - Interactive map showing the council boundary and application locations
Full Details - View complete application details, dates and decision status

Council Insights

Property Prices

Average property sale price: £279,860 (based on 50 recent transactions from HM Land Registry).

Area Information

Admin district: Cornwall
Parliamentary constituency: North Cornwall
LSOA: Cornwall 015D

Crime Statistics

144 crimes reported in 2026-03.

Crime Breakdown

violent-crime: 78
anti-social-behaviour: 23
criminal-damage-arson: 18
other-theft: 6
shoplifting: 6
public-order: 4
possession-of-weapons: 3
burglary: 2
robbery: 2
drugs: 1
other-crime: 1

Keyword Scorecard

Planning constraint analysis based on the last 24 months of applications in Cornwall Council.

Ecology & Wildlife Constraints (keywords: bats, bat survey, bat roost, great crested newt, GCN...)
Trees & Landscape (keywords: tree preservation order, TPO, arboricultural, tree survey, root protection area...)
Flood & Drainage (keywords: flood zone 2, flood zone 3, flood risk assessment, FRA, surface water...)
Heritage & Conservation (keywords: listed building, grade II, grade II*, grade I, conservation area...)
Green Belt (keywords: green belt, inappropriate development, very special circumstances, openness)
Highways & Access (keywords: visibility splays, highway authority objection, access arrangement, parking provision, transport statement...)
Refusal & Risk Indicators (keywords: refusal, delegated refusal, appeal dismissed, overdevelopment, character and appearance...)
Planning Process & Appeals (keywords: appeal lodged, appeal allowed, appeal dismissed, public inquiry, inspector)

Planning Activity Summary

Approval rates, average decision times, and application type distribution for Cornwall Council based on the last 24 months of planning data.

Towns and villages in Cornwall Council

1457 towns and villages. Click any town to search for planning applications nearby.

Flood Risk

No active flood warnings in the Cornwall Council area.

Monitoring Stations

9 flood monitoring stations near Cornwall Council.

De Lank (De Lank River)
Restormel (River Fowey)
Trengoffe (Warleggan River)
Wadebridge (North Cornwall Coast)
Wainsford (River Fowey)
Sladesbridge (River Camel)
BODMIN CROCKWELL STREET
Luxulyan (Par River)
Bodmin St Petrocs Well (Bodmin Town Leat)

A brief summary of Cornwall Council

The average property sale price in the Cornwall Council area is £279,860, based on 50 recent transactions.

The Cornwall Council area recorded 144 crimes in the most recent reporting period. Prospective residents may wish to review the detailed crime breakdown for further context.

Conservation Areas

There are 143 designated conservation areas within the Cornwall Council area. Planning applications within or near these areas are subject to additional scrutiny to preserve architectural and historic character. Permitted development rights may be restricted.

Conservation areas include: Probus, Penryn, Mylor Bridge, Flushing, Gerrans, Perranarworthal, St Mawes, Portloe, Veryan, Veryan Green, and 133 more.

Ecology & Nature Designations

The Cornwall Council area includes 1 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI): River Camel Valley and Tributaries SSSI; 5 Ancient Woodland sites; 1 Special Areas of Conservation (SAC): River Camel. These designations may affect planning decisions, as proposals near protected sites require environmental impact assessment and may face additional restrictions.

The council area encompasses 1457 towns and villages, including Bodmin, Bude, Camborne, Falmouth, Fowey and Helston. Planning applications across these communities can be searched using the postcode search above.

Search Cornwall Council Planning Applications

Planning Signal provides a free, fast planning search for Cornwall Council. Use the postcode search above to find planning applications near any address in the Cornwall Council area. Unlike the official Cornwall Council planning portal, Planning Signal lets you save searches, watch individual applications, and receive email alerts when decisions are made or new applications are submitted nearby.

Whether you're a resident checking Cornwall Council planning applications near your home, a homeowner tracking your own application, or a property professional monitoring the local market, Planning Signal gives you the tools to stay informed about planning and development across Cornwall Council.

Planning Activity

In the last 24 months, 5,350 planning applications Cornwall Council received. Of these, 41% were approved, with an average decision time of 47 days.

This is below the national average of approximately 87%, which may reflect stricter local policies, sensitivity of the area, or higher levels of speculative applications. Pre-application advice is particularly worthwhile in Cornwall Council.

The average decision time of 47 days is within the government's 8-week statutory target for minor applications, indicating an efficient planning department.

The most common application types in Cornwall Council were full planning applications (1,975), outline applications (906), discharge of conditions (574). Full planning applications account for 37% of all submissions, covering new builds, change of use, and works that go beyond permitted development rights.

In terms of development scale, 57 large-scale (major) developments, 66 medium-scale applications, 5,227 smaller schemes were submitted. The high volume of major applications indicates significant development pressure in the area, which may interest property developers and investors.

2,390 planning appeals were lodged against Cornwall Council decisions, of which 627 were allowed and 1,411 were dismissed (31% success rate).

Application Outcomes

Approved: 606 applications
Refused: 154 applications
Withdrawn: 723 applications
Awaiting decision: 3,867 applications

Related Planning Guides

What Is Planning Permission in the UK? — Planning permission is the formal approval you need from your local council before making certain changes to a building or piece of land.
What Is Permitted Development? — Permitted development rights allow certain building works and changes of use without the need to apply for planning permission.
How Long Does Planning Permission Take? — Typical timelines for planning permission decisions in the UK, from submission to approval, and what can cause delays.