POLICY HTA 1: Consultation for the NDP over the last five years has revealed considerable concern by local people over the impact of increasing housing sprawl out from villages and hamlets. There is a strong feeling that it is important to stop this pattern of ribbon development, so as to maintain the distinct and separate character of villages and hamlets, which people feel is core to both the local character of this area, and to the identity and close-knit nature of communities and to ‘community spirit’ here.

Cornwall Council does not require the Parish to build a minimum number of houses as is the case with many Parishes; for Perrantuhnoe Parish there is no ‘minimum housing requirement’. This is due to the fact that over half of the Parish lies within the AONB and most of the northern half of the Parish lies within the WHS. However between 2010 and 2018, this Parish had the third highest level of building development in the whole of the West Penwith area.

This Policy establishes the geographic boundaries of the areas in the Parish in which new development should be focused. The Development Boundaries were determined based on a settlement boundaries assessment undertaken by a Cornwall Council Planning Department specialist, with subsequent assessment against local Development Boundary Criteria established for the Parish. It aims to help the Parish to maintain cohesive, geographically bounded settlement areas, and to prevent further ‘development sprawl’. Within these ‘development boundaries’, also often referred to as ‘settlement boundaries’ a limited amount of ‘infill’ development will be supported, where it conforms with other policies in the NDP, and so long as it contributes positively to the local character of settlements and to the welfare of the communities that live there. Exceptions may be made to allow space for affordable housing, this is specified in NDP Policy HTA3.

POLICY HTA 2: One of the issues repeatedly raised in local consultations was the increasing trend for large and / or visually intrusive building conversions and replacement dwellings, in particular in AONB areas of the Parish. There is considerable frustration about the negative impact that these have had on valued AONB and heritage landscapes in the Parish.

People pointed to the fact that Cornwall’s AONB Management Plan itself even points to Perranuthnoe as one of a handful of places in the south-west where replacement dwellings have had a negative visual impact on AONB landscapes, and yet the problem continues to get worse. There are clear policies within the AONB, WHS and Cornwall’s Local Plan which emphasise the need for development to respect the valued local character – people asked, so why is no consideration given to this in decision-making on planning applications?

This NDP Policy aims to provide clear guidance, so as to ensure that replacement buildings and conversions are appropriate for the area in which they are located, and do not have a negative impact on the AONB and WHS landscapes, or on local communities.

POLICY HTA 3: Consultations clearly showed that people value greatly being part of vibrant local communities, and that there is a need to ensure that development provides homes for local people. There is a need for housing to remain affordable, and for communities to continue to thrive. Part of this is the need to ensure that those most in need of housing have access to it.

Over the last 10 years a significant level of affordable housing has been allocated within the overall development consents granted. The Parish has an existing stock of approximately 100 affordable and social homes to rent, with a smaller number of affordable homes for low cost home ownership. In addition to this, a scheme of 18 affordable homes was completed in 2019, and there are currently a number of undeveloped plots for affordable homes granted permission under Cornwall Councils ‘affordable led’ planning policy.

This NDP policy recognises the importance of affordable housing. It aims to ensure that the provision of affordable housing is clearly focussed on meeting the needs of the local Parish community, and that affordable homes are reserved for those most in need, in perpetuity. It aims to provide clear guidance on the identification and allocation of ‘exception sites’ for affordable housing.

POLICY HTA 4: There are an increasing number of instances in the Parish where caravans are being placed in fields outside the curtilage of homes, and are then left there for extended periods of time, often years, without planning permission. This type of use is not allowed under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act (1960).

Communities repeatedly expressed concern and frustration over these planning breaches, and over the fact that nothing is being done about it, despite numerous complaints to the planning department. The issues people raised included the visual impact of caravans on the natural beauty and heritage character of landscapes, waste left by users of caravans, and impacts on communities, wildlife and habitats.

This policy aims to clarify the grounds on which it may be acceptable for caravans to be used as temporary accommodation, in order to help ensure that temporary use of caravans for accommodation does not lead to the establishment of unplanned dwellings.

POLICY BDL1: In public consultations for the NDP concerns were repeatedly raised over the negative impact that uncharacteristic and overbearing building design, scale and landscaping is having on natural and heritage landscapes across this Parish.

In county planning policies, it is written that building design should respect ‘distinctive local character’ and that this is particularly important within AONB and WHS areas. However local people are extremely frustrated that in this Parish, currently very little consideration appears to be given by developers or decision-makers to the intrusive impact that inappropriate building design can have on local landscape character and on the local ‘sense of place’ so important to communities here.

The AONB Management Plan even cites Perranuthnoe Parish as one of the places in Cornwall where recent building design has had a negative impact on the natural beauty of coastal landscapes. Local people are frustrated that despite this, and despite the policy guidance that the AONB Management Plan policies provide to address it, the problem continues to get worse. There is an increasing trend for property developers to design large and often visually intrusive buildings so that these ‘stand out’ individually, rather than consideration being given to blending development in, to contribute positively to the valued local character of settlements and landscapes here.

This policy aims to provide clear guidance to ensure that building design and landscaping respects the distinctive and valued character of local landscapes and settlements. The policy establishes a series of building design criteria to clarify what ‘distinctive local character is here’ and why it is of value to this Parish. The criteria are based on the policy provisions in the Cornwall Local Plan, AONB and WHS Management Plans, and on the findings of the local landscape character assessment. Our NDP policy criteria also draw directly on what local people have said they value most, and consider to be key to, the distinctive local character and heritage of their Parish.

POLICY BDL2: As part of design considerations, people pointed to the fact that poorly designed signs and advertisements can detract from the character of both settlements and landscapes, in particular where illuminated signs are used. People feel that the design of signs and any advertisements should be inspired by the Parish’s heritage.

This policy aims to ensure that signs and advertisements used in the Parish are of a design and scale that is in keeping with the local heritage character of the area, and that is not visually intrusive.

Policy NLB1: In consultations for the NDP over the last 7 years, many people have expressed their concern that inadequate consideration is being given to the environmental impact of development and to the negative visual impacts of inappropriate development on the outstanding natural beauty of landscapes here.

The Landscape Character Assessment (LLCA) for Perranuthnoe Parish also raises concerns over the impact of poorly planned development on the scenic beauty of landscapes, in particular in coastal areas. And it outlines the importance of a range of habitats across the Parish for biodiversity, with maps showing protected habitats and wildlife designations.

Over half of the Parish lies within Cornwall’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The natural beauty of landscapes is also important in the northern WHS area of the Parish, including woodland and heath. Sites of ecological and biodiversity significance are located across the Parish and natural habitats and ecosystems support a number of protected species.

There are a considerable number of county and national policies, regulations and guidelines relevant to the natural environment and biodiversity conservation in this Parish. There is concern that currently these don’t appear to all be being applied effectively in development planning here. What this policy aims to do is to distill the information from all of these broader planning documents, into a series of local planning policy principles, that can be more easily applied to, and therefore actually used in, this Parish. It provides the local area policy guidance necessary to support well-informed development planning that works to protect the beauty of natural landscapes and to conserve biodiversity across the Parish.

This NDP policy aims to ensure that development planning here recognises the social, environmental and economic value of the Parish’s natural resource base to both current and future generations. It establishes three core policy principles, and under each specifies the planning considerations required to implement them.

The Three Core Policy Components are:

• Conserve biodiversity and ecosystems
• Protect valued landscapes
• Protect environmentally sensitive areas and threatened species.

POLICY NLB 2: The Parish’s coastline lies in a zone of active coastal erosion, located within the AONB and bordering the designated Mounts Bay Marine Conservation Zone.

Consultation for the NDP highlighted the great value which local people place on the Parish coastline, in particular the peaceful, scenic, undeveloped landscapes along the coast, the SW coast path and inter-connecting footpaths, open vistas across Mounts Bay, birds and wildlife, and on access to the beach and coves. The coastline of this Parish is also important for the local economy, because the beach, SW coast path and beauty of natural Cornish landscapes are key attractions for visitors, who in turn use the local cafes, pubs, farm shop and other local businesses.

The key issues of concern people raised in relation to the coastal zone of this Parish were: coastal erosion and the exacerbation of it by the removal of coastal vegetation; the need to protect coastal habitats and wildlife; litter and pollution; concerns over what will happen when coastal erosion affects the south-west coast path and how to ensure that it continues around the coast; the need to ensure that people will continue to have safe access to the beach and coves, and here again the impact of large and visually intrusive housing development on the natural scenic beauty of local coastal landscapes.

The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Shoreline Management Plan (SMP), outlines the county’s coastal defence management strategy; along Perranuthnoe Parish coastline, Cornwall Council’s management approach is for ‘No Active Intervention’ (NAI). This means that the county has taken the decision not to invest in providing or maintaining sea defences along the coastline of this Parish. Erosion will run its course and is likely to be exacerbated by the effects of climate change. One of the areas of coast that will be most badly affected by erosion is the area to the south of Perranuthnoe village, along the beach. Despite the current sea defences, national coastal erosion risk mapping data currently predicts there may be erosion of up to 80m within the next 100 years.

It is important that development planning in this Parish is based on an understanding of predicted coastal erosion rates, and coastal change risks, and that a clear development planning strategy is established to minimise risks to communities, businesses and the environment.

The NDP Policy establishes a Coastal Change Management Area (CCMA) to achieve this. This policy establishes a series of coastal change management zones, and provides development planning guidance for each zone. Zoning is based on the latest predicted NCERM 100-year coastal erosion line. The zones and planning principles established for each zone are based on detailed analysis of national coastal erosion data, the SMP, and expert advice from Cornwall Council Environment Service. The development planning principles within this policy follow national and county guidelines for development planning in CCMA, and reflect the priorities and values which Parish communities have expressed for the coastal zone of this Parish, and the issues of greatest concern here.

This NDP policy aims to ensure that development planning in the coastal zone of the Parish is based on an understanding of long-term coastal change processes, and that planning minimises the social, economic and environmental risks associated with coastal erosion.

Policy NLB 3: Public consultation highlighted that local people place great value on maintaining ‘dark skies’ and on conserving the natural beauty of local landscapes.

Parish lies in the buffer zone to the West Penwith Dark Skies Reserve and there is significant concern by local people over the increasing impact of light pollution here. This is in particular a problem on elevated ground within the AONB, where there is an increasing trend for new and replacement housing to incorporate large areas of fenestration and in some cases entire glass walls. The visual impact of internal lighting spilling from extensive expanses of glass is polluting evening and night skies. It causes a ‘light box effect’, where the large sheet-glass windows, doors and walls act like huge ‘light screens’ scattered across natural evening landscapes.

The Parish Landscape Character Assessment (LLCA) also identifies ‘increased light pollution eroding the dark skies’ as one of the development pressures that is having a negative impact on natural landscape character in the AONB. It recommends that in development planning it is important to: ‘consider how light pollution can be minimised, through appropriate design in new development’.

Cornwall Local Plan requires that development should ‘maintain dark skies and tranquillity in areas that are relatively undisturbed’ and the AONB Management Plan emphasises that it is important to ‘promote high levels of peace and tranquillity in the AONB with dark night skies by minimising noise, intrusive development and light pollution.’

Local people are frustrated that currently very little consideration appears to be given to respecting these county light pollution policies in this Parish.

This Neighbourhood Plan policy provides local planning policy guidance to help ensure that national and county policies and guidelines are effectively implemented here, in order to reduce the impact of light pollution and glare on natural landscapes and dark-skies in this Parish. It aims to ensure that the risks of light pollution and glare are fully considered in the assessment of planning applications, and that due consideration is given to the value which local people place on maintaining dark skies here.

POLICY NLB 4: One issue which was repeatedly raised in public consultations for the NDP, is the importance of Cornish Hedges as core features within local landscapes here, and as important habitats for wildlife and flowering plants.

The Parish Landscape Character Assessment also underlines the importance of Cornish Hedges across the Parish as ‘a valuable wildlife habitat, as well as creating the distinctive rural farmland character.’ It stresses that ‘Cornish Hedges have defined our landscape for centuries and today provide a distinct local identity’. The LLCA recommends that the Parish should ‘retain the strong field pattern of Cornish hedges and the native vegetation they support and ensure sufficient buffers are created where new development is proposed near hedges.’

Cornwall Council’s Planning for Biodiversity Guide’ is what is termed a ‘material planning consideration’, meaning that the guidance in it must be considered in the assessment of planning applications. It specifies that ‘due to the high biodiversity value of hedges, and the key role they play in our landscape and sense of place in Cornwall, there is a strong presumption in favour of the retaining of all hedges within developments. It is essential that hedges are assessed as both a landscape and biodiversity feature, as part of any development proposal.’

In consultations on the NDP people expressed their frustration that despite the importance of Cornish Hedges to local landscapes here, and despite clear county planning guidelines that say there is a strong presumption in favour of retaining all hedges within developments… at the moment, very little consideration appears to be being given to conserving Cornish Hedges in development in in this Parish.

Our NDP policy applies the principles established in Cornwall’s Planning for Biodiversity Guide to the local planning context in this Parish.  This NDP policy recognises the value which local communities place on Cornish Hedges and Hedgerows as a key part of natural and heritage landscapes in the Parish, and as sites of importance for wildlife. It aims to ensure that a strong priority is given to conserving Cornish Hedges and hedgerows within development planning in this Parish.

POLICY NLB 5:This policy aims to encourage development proposals to demonstrate environmental responsibility through recognised environmental standards, so that ‘green’ credentials are clearly evidenced.

Although feedback from public consultation demonstrated the value that local people place on the environment, wildlife and natural landscapes across the Parish, concerns were raised over the increasing use of terms such as ‘eco-home’ or ‘green building’ within Planning Applications, as a means to push through development that might otherwise be considered inappropriate.

Concerns were raised that ‘green’ credentials are often unsubstantiated. The inclusion of a solar panel or bee hive does not necessarily render a development ‘environmentally sensitive’.It was recommended that if environmental sustainability or carbon neutrality is to be used as part of the reason for approving development proposals, then clear and consistent standards should be applied to assess those credentials. Labels such as eco-home or green building should only carry weight, when development proposals clearly demonstrate compliance with officially recognised environmental standards. The whole lifecycle of a development should be considered. It is rarely carbon efficient to demolish and rebuild a property, even if the building replacement is carbon neutral.

POLICY HCA 1: In consultations for the NDP, people repeatedly stressed that they greatly value the heritage character and history of this Parish. There is a strong interest in local history. An important part of that history is the Parish’s mining heritage which, alongside farming, has shaped the local character of landscapes, villages and hamlets here. The sites of old mining Wheel Houses and spoil heaps are key features in local landscapes across the Parish.

The key heritage attributes of this area outlined in the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site Management Plan are the: ‘patchwork of small holdings…and long established farms and parkland associated with the great mining estates’, where ‘most mine workers cottages are disbursed in a landscape of small fields …or within small groups of mine workers cottages set within substantial blocks of early nineteenth century miners smallholdings.’

International WHS designation brings with it a requirement to ‘protect, conserve, present and transmit World Heritage Sites to future generations’, and this is achieved primarily through the development planning system. Development planning should work to positively protect and conserve the mining features and heritage character of this Parish. Consultations for the NDP showed that there is significant concern that currently it does not. The WHS Management Plan and Cornwall’s Local Plan also underline the need for planning to consider and conserve heritage character. There appears to be a clear need to ensure that these are applied effectively in this Parish.

This NDP policy aims to ensure that development planning in this Parish respects and protects the valued attributes of the Mining Landscape World Heritage Site (WHS), and of the landscape in which they are experienced, as is required by the WHS designation status.

POLICY HCA 2: Consultations for the NDP repeatedly highlighted people’s concerns about the negative impact that development is having on the distinctive local heritage character of landscapes and settlements in the AONB. There is concern that currently very little consideration appears to be being given to value of local heritage, neither by developers nor in decision-making on planning applications.

Heritage character is core to the local distinctiveness of AONB landscapes in this Parish, and to the character of Perranuthnoe village and surrounding hamlets; it is part of the local ‘sense of place’ that is so important to people here. Consultation for the NDP showed that local communities feel there is an urgent need to ensure that development does not further erode the heritage of this Parish. The need for planning to consider and conserve heritage character is also underlined in the AONB Management Plan and Cornwall’s Local Plan. There appears to be a clear need to ensure that these are applied effectively in this Parish.

This policy provides the local planning framework to ensure that decision-making on planning applications works positively to conserve and respect our cultural and historic heritage. It aims to ensure that development planning in this Parish gives due recognition to the fact that heritage character is integral to the local distinctiveness of AONB landscapes and settlements here.

The centre of Perranuthnoe village is designated as a heritage ‘Conservation Area’; decision-making on planning applications should therefore prioritise conservation of the heritage character of it, and its setting. The Parish Landscape and Heritage Character Assessments and results of community consultation, also identified a number of non-designated heritage assets of core local significance within the AONB.

The NP consultation and research process identified increasing threats to the Conservation Area and to non-designated assets. This policy provides local policy guidance to ensure that development respects and conserves the special attributes and distinctive local heritage character of designated and non-designated heritage assets and their setting.

POLICY HCA 3: Consultation for the NDP demonstrated the value that local communities place on old mining sites and spoil heaps, as characteristic local features in natural landscapes. The Parish Landscape Character Assessment (LLCA) also highlights the importance of ‘old mining sites and spoil heaps now overgrown which provide unique habitats for biodiversity, with specialized bryophytes including rare species of lichen and moss’.

This policy aims to ensure that development planning recognises the biodiversity, geo-diversity and landscape value of historic mining sites and spoil heaps in this Parish. It establishes the principle that development should be planned and managed so as to ensure that these landscape features are conserved and that associated habitats, species and ecosystems are not disturbed.

POLICY HCA 4: This policy aims to ensure that development planning recognises and considers the value of archaeological sites and assets as a finite and non-renewable resource. It provides local planningguidance to ensure that when development is proposed which may impact on an archaeological site, a review is undertaken to determine appropriate measures to conserve or record archaeological assets of local significance.

POLICY EB1: There are a number of local businesses which form an important part of the socio-economic fabric of the Parish, including farm shops, cafes, pubs, artisans, musicians, photographers, artists, gardeners, academics and writers, local grocery stores, a garage, those providing sporting and social welfare activities, and many more. There is strong local support for these businesses. Some concerns were expressed regarding the impact of the tourism industry, in particular in relation to increasing visitor numbers and the impact of traffic and car parking on peoples’ access to their homes, and on access by service vehicles. Concerns were also raised in relation to increasing litter pollution and camping. This was not a reflection on any existing businesses, but more of the need to ensure that development planning includes consideration of the impacts of traffic and visitor numbers on local communities.

This policy aims to support small-scale business development where it provides opportunities for local communities and local businesses, and where that development aligns with other policies in this NDP. It also provides policy guidance to ensure that if business development may lead to increases in traffic and parking, that there is appropriate assessment of the capacity of the area to absorb the predicted number of visitors, without detrimental impacts to ‘people or place’. This also links to NDP Policy CW5 on Spatial Planning.

POLICY EB2: Agricultural production is the main land use in this Parish, there is high grade agricultural land across the Parish, and a number of farms operate in both the AONB and WHS areas of the Parish. Farming is also an important part of the heritage of this Parish, having shaped the landscape here for centuries. Agricultural land, and in particular the small field sizes and patchwork of irregularly shaped fields, are core to the landscape character of both the AONB and WHS.

Public consultation for the NDP has highlighted the value which local communities place on farming as a key part of the livelihoods and heritage of this Parish.There is a strong respect for farmers and recognition that patterns, levels and types of development here should not impose on or restrict farming activity. There is recognition of the challenges that farmers face and of the need to ensure that development planning in this Parish supports them to sustain those livelihoods, and where ever possible to encourage environmentally sensitive patterns of production. There is also a strong desire to ensure that the high-quality agricultural land we have in this Parish is conserved to support food production both now and for future generations.

This NDP Policy aims to actively support farmers in achieving sustainable agricultural production, and to ensure that farmers have access to the ‘best and most versatile’ (BMV) agricultural land, recognising the importance of retaining this land for sustainable food production, for the benefit of current and future generations. It aims to ensure that development planning recognises the high quality of agricultural land in this Parish, the importance of farming to local livelihoods, and the significance of small-field agricultural systems to local landscape character in the AONB and WHS. It also provides local planning policy guidance to ensure that development, including land-use change, does not have a negative impact on the effective operation of farms, stipulating that development should not be supported if it poses significant risks to farming land, livestock, crops, facilities, or to the sustainable and efficient operation of farms. This should be a core consideration in the assessment of planning applications in this Parish.

POLICY EB3: The natural beauty and heritage character of this Parish, its beaches, wildlife and coastal scenery, and the network of public footpaths and bridleways are highly valued by local residents, and are also core to the area’s attraction for tourism. In consultations for the NDP people repeatedly expressed concern over increasing levels of holiday accommodation and tourist numbers in this Parish, and associated social and environmental impacts.

A number of campsites have been set up in this and neighbouring Parishes over recent years. There is concern over the impact that campsites can have on AONB and WHS landscape character and on people’s use and enjoyment of AONB and WHS areas. Related to this, the need to consider the cumulative impact of campsites on these protected landscapes in particular relative to the distribution, location, size and type of sites across the Parish.

There is felt to be an increasing risk that without clear local planning guidance, the expansion of campsites and other forms of holiday accommodation, will impact on the valued character of AONB and WHS landscapes, and the very qualities of this Parish that local people value so highly and which also draw tourists to this area.

This policy aims to ensure that development associated with the creation or expansion of campsites and other holiday accommodation facilities, is sensitively integrated into local AONB and WHS landscapes, and that planning decisions are based on clear assessment of potential social, economic and environmental impacts. It aims to support the Parish in achieving sustainable, low impact tourism that can bring benefits to local communities, with minimal impact on natural and heritage landscapes.

POLICY EB4: Many in this and neighbouring Parishes enjoy horse riding. Several agricultural fields in the Parish are now used for keeping horses, and the Parish also includes a livery and stud farm. Equestrian use of land can contribute positively to maintaining valued landscape character across the Parish, by maintaining small field systems, conserving the hedgerows and Cornish hedges which define them, and conserving areas of importance for wildlife. Change of land-use from agricultural to equestrian can, however, also significantly alter the character of local landscapes and remove habitats important for wildlife and biodiversity, in particular if Cornish Hedges are replaced with panel fencing, and if structures associated with the keeping of horses are built in visually prominent locations or are out of keeping with the area.

This policy aims to help ensure that equestrian development is integrated sensitively into its local AONB or WHS landscape setting, does not detract from the amenity value for walkers or other users of public rights of way, and remains solely for equestrian use.