Public consultation begins on much-needed new homes for Wadebridge

A new website has been set up to allow Wadebridge residents to comment on plans to deliver much-needed new homes in the town.

Persimmon Homes Cornwall & West Devon has submitted a hybrid application to bring 550 new homes to Wadebridge, with outline permission being sought for up to 400 homes and full approval for an additional 150 as the initial phase.

As part of its commitment to consulting with the local community, Persimmon has released a new website for local people to input into the plans and express their views on dealing with the housing crisis. There are currently around 25,000 people on Cornwall Council’s housing waiting list.

If approved, the development would see land being gifted through a Section 106 agreement to the community for an on-site primary school, and a new medical centre with dental provision and a sports pitch, off-site and closer to the town centre. The scheme also incorporates public open space and fully equipped play areas.

All properties will be zero carbon-ready, equipped with sustainable features such as air source heat pumps, and electric vehicle charging points. Biodiversity net gain would be delivered on-site, with a proposed green wildlife corridor providing new ecological habitats, and a ‘Green Buffer’ between existing infrastructure and any future development, alongside secondary corridors dividing the development blocks and linking the green wildlife corridor to the rural edge.

The site, Church Park, is in the south-east of the Wadebridge, a town identified as a growth site in the Council’s Local Plan and will help address Cornwall’s housing land shortfall. The scheme would also ringfence 30% of the properties for a housing association to alleviate local need. Primary road access will be provided from the A389, whilst a new pedestrian and cycle access connecting to the wider town and green corridors are part of the proposed plans.

Commenting, Managing Director of Persimmon Homes Cornwall & West Devon, Andy Hill, said:

“I’m pleased to announce Persimmon has released this website for local people to have their say on our application to deliver much-needed new homes and key infrastructure in Wadebridge.

“Our plans include substantial investment housing association properties, land for a school on-site, and the delivery of a medical centre or sports provision for the town, demonstrating our commitment to supporting local services alongside tackling the local housing crisis.

“With a range of house types, sizes, and tenure, this integrated and sustainable residential community will have bring a whole suite of benefits to the area, as well as ecological enhancements and utilise outdoor space.

“We look forward to working with councillors, residents, and the local authority to bring to life the vision of Wadebridge’s role as a strategic growth town.”