Did You Know…?
During the consultations at various public events over the last seven years, such as the Charter Fair at Goldsithney, Christmas Fayre and other community meetings and events, many questions came up about the Parish, it’s special designations and general planning matters. Below are a taste some of the most common things that came up.
Management Plans
The AONB has a Management Plan with specific policies which say what sort of development should be allowed within AONB areas …all development should respect natural landscapes, natural beauty & distinctive local character.
The WHS has a Management Plan which works in the same way as that of the AONB. This Parish is described in the WHS Management Plan as a ‘patchwork of small holdings…and long established farms and parkland associated with the great mining estates’, where ‘most mineworkers cottages are disbursed in a landscape of small fields …or within small groups of mineworkers cottages’…or ‘within small groups of mineworkers cottages set within substantial blocks of early nineteenth century miners smallholdings’.
Cornish Hedges
As well as being an integral part of our landscape and local heritage, Cornish Hedges are also a valuable asset to wildlife.
Cornwall County Council has produced a ‘Planning for Biodiversity Guide’ which is a material consideration which must be considered in the assessment of planning applications. This specifies that ‘due to the high biodiversity value of Cornish 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 and hedgerows within developments. It is essential that hedges are assessed as both a landscape and biodiversity feature, as part of any development proposal’.
Coastal Erosion
Did you know that Perranuthnoe Parish lies in an area of active coastal erosion. Cornwall Council’s approach is one of ‘no active intervention’ ie the coast will erode at its natural rate and we have to adapt to and plan for that. The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) outlines the approach.
The area to the south of Perranuthnoe village is predicted to erode by up to 80 meters in the next 100 years! Neighbourhood Plan Policy NLB2 establishes a Coastal Change Management Area to ensure that planning in the Parish’s Coastal Zone considers coastal erosion risks.
Special Designations…
As you probably already know the Southern half of Perranuthnoe Parish lies in Cornwall’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) but did you know that should give it the same level of protection as National Parks in regards to Planning?
The Northern half of Perranuthnoe Parish lies in the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site (WHS). This is an area of international importance.
The Parish also borders the Mounts Bay Conservation Zone.
Minimum Housing Requirement
Did you know that because of the designated status of AONB and WHS landscapes the Parish has no minimum housing requirement unlike Parishes without such designations.
Although the Parish has no ‘minimum housing requirement’, in total, when commitments and contributions are considered, the Parish has to date contributed the third highest percentage of all housing in West Penwith, almost on a par with the second highest housing contributor, Ludgvan, which is one of the largest parishes in Cornwall.
Data provided by Cornwall Council shows that there have been 73 houses completed in this Parish between 2010 & 2018. In Sept 2019 a further 66 new houses had been granted permission.
Penwith Dark Skies Reserve
In December 2021 the West Penwith Dark Skies Reserve was established. Our Parish lies in the buffer zone and as such is under the same protection. Increase in light pollution and glare were issues of concern raised repeatedly in public consultations, as a source of annoyance to people, harmful to wildlife and undermining enjoyment of the countryside and the night sky.
Neighbourhood Plan policy NLB 3: aims to support more considered development, that will work positively to conserve dark skies, limit the impact of light pollution and glare on place and people, and recognise the value of dark skies to the character of this place, the people who live here and to wildlife.
Affordable Homes
Did you know that the Parish has an existing stock of approximately 100 affordable and social homes to rent and a scheme of 18 affordable homes were completed in 2019.
Neighbourhood Plan Policy HTA3 outlines how affordable housing should be provided to meet the needs of Parish communities.