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The Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Development Plan is a plan produced by and for the community that makes sure that new development in Truro and Kenwyn is suitable and beneficial. The current plan was adopted in 2016 following a public vote where 85% voted for the plan to be used in planning decisions by Cornwall Council. The plan covers a wide range of subjects including Environment: Promoting sustainable development, improving building standards and green space provision and seeking to retain the character of the rural edges of Truro, Threemilestone and Shortlanesend. Subject to community support being received we hope that the updates to the plan will be formalised in the summer of 2020.
Economy:
Providing the right conditions for creating good quality jobs, supporting each of the major employment areas around Truro and Threemilestone and strengthening and protecting Truro City Centre.
Education:
Protecting existing and new sites for schools.
Housing:
Supporting housing development in scale with our communities to meet local needs (including extra care facilities and affordable housing) and promoting the reuse of brownfield land.
Leisure and culture:
Sets out requirements for new open spaces and sports provision and the protection of existing areas. It also protects and requires new cultural and community centres for residents.
Transport:
Promotes more sustainable transport choices, including walking, cycling and public transport as well as safeguarding rail land for future increases in services and facilities.
Historic Environment:
Protects our historic buildings and conservation area
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The plan has been used successfully in decision making by Cornwall Council and has been used to refuse inappropriate development and successfully defend the decision at appeal. However, plans need to be kept up to date and nearly three years later there have been changes locally and nationally that mean that the plan needs to be updated. These reasons include:
• Thinking how we can respond to Climate Change;
• Opportunities to help re-plan major new developments at Langarth and Pydar Street;
• A need to make improvements to health and wellbeing;
• Creation of a greener city and encouraging more sustainable ways to travel
Consideration has also been made of the need for new policies to meet specific issues and planning needs for the area. There have been some significant changes since our plan was adopted:
Langarth development:
Planning permission was granted for around 2700 new homes before the plan was adopted. The Neighbourhood Plan doesn’t currently say anything about the site and nothing has been built since it was adopted. Cornwall Council and a local Steering Group is now preparing improved plans to help deliver a great quality new community and there is an opportunity to help steer that masterplanning for the benefit of the local community.
Pydar Street (former Carrick offices)
Since the plan was adopted, Cornwall Council has brought together ownership of the whole site of around 4 hectares and will redevelop it over the coming years. The current plan does not have a clear policy to help lead the quality and opportunities of this redevelopment.
Climate Change Emergency:
Cornwall Council and Truro City Council have both declared Climate Change Emergencies and are working to understand how decisions made by each Council can best help address the challenges that we will face. Our current plan could be usefully changed to help promote better energy efficiency, drainage and other environmental standards for new buildings and places
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Maps
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A group of Councillors from Truro City Council & Kenwyn Parish Council have been working together to consider how the plan can be changed to help respond to these challenges and opportunities. The plan working group has looked at specific issues, including the redevelopment of Pydar Street, replanning of Langarth and the creation of a greener and more sustainable city. Climate Change & Future Infrastructure needs have been considered all discussions.[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end] With the support of Cornwall Council, the policies have been reviewed and amended and new policies created. New policies have been developed for building quality, Langarth, Pydar Street & new development boundaries drawn around the Langarth site, Threemilestone and Shortlanesend These policies will now be published for the community and others to comment on.[/ezcol_1half_end]
Key Policy Changes
Development and Building Quality
[ezcol_1half]The creation of a new policy intended to create a legacy of better living standards for the community and the people of different ages, incomes and interests in the area. This requires better set out developments that provide:
• Sufficient and convenient storage for waste, recycling and household items, bikes and equipment;
• a high level of energy efficiency aiming towards zero carbon and either incorporating renewables or make it easy to incorporate it at a later date;
• adaptability and flexibility of accommodation to allow for later expansion or adaptation; [/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end]
REVISED
• external finishes and materials that fit within the local palette of building materials and are designed to be accessible and easy to maintain;
• sufficient garden space for day to day needs, including front garden space with an appropriate boundary;
• green walls or roofs where possible[/ezcol_1half_end]
Pydar Street redevelopment site
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The Pydar Street site is one of the biggest opportunities for redevelopment of a prime city centre site. The site has been assembled by Cornwall Council for redevelopment and totals around 4 hectares of brownfield land in the heart of the city.
A new policy will support this important regeneration where a masterplan can achieve the following:
• A mix of uses, including housing choices throughout life;
• A highly accessible layout with links to the city centre and green spaces to the north and Victoria Gardens;
• Retains and enhances existing trees and habitat on and around the site[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end] and creates a natural new green spaces, including a riverside park and green roofs and other planting and public spaces;
• Is respectful of historic features and ensures views of the cathedral and viaduct;
• Improves the safety and appearance of roads and pedestrian environment around the site;
• Energy and resource efficient development that reduces the carbon footprint of the development and reuses materials won from the demolition of the existing buildings;
The masterplan will set expectations of good quality development to ensure that it is achieved by later applications.
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Langarth
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A new policy will set out the area to be developed and require development to form more sustainable community comprising a mix of high quality housing, public and private spaces and supporting infrastructure and facilities. Planning applications that propose development of the site will only be supported subject to creation of a binding Masterplan that successfully identifies how the following principles for sustainable development will be achieved across the site:
• The development of a series of neighbourhoods, with a mix of facilities and housing types and sizes (including affordable and key worker housing) and adequate parking provision, connected by a planned network of green space and active travel routes.
• Plan for early implementation of key infrastructure including roads and cycleways, green space, schools, sewers and access throughout the sites
• High quality road, cycle and walking network throughout the site that[/ezcol_1half] [ezcol_1half_end] provides a safe cycle and pedestrian friendly environment and encourages more journeys by sustainable transport modes on the site and into the rest of Truro and across the A390 to link to communities at Threemilestone and Gloweth;
• Development that is genuinely reflective of local character and works with the form of the land, is green and retains as much green space, trees and hedges as possible, makes new links into the countryside and plants new woodland;
• Energy efficient buildings, uses and infrastructure to reduce the carbon footprint of the development
• Provides measures to prevent further incursion of new built development into the surrounding countryside.
The masterplan will set expectations of good quality development to ensure that it is achieved by later applications. [/ezcol_1half_end]
