Langarth Stakeholder Panel

In 2019, Cornwall Council set up the Langarth Stakeholder Panel. The aim was to help shape the development of the Langarth Garden Village masterplan. The scheme needs to meet the needs of residents in Threemilestone and Gloweth. It also needs to meet the requirements of new residents who will be living and working on the site.

This followed the Council’s decision to become involved in Langarth scheme. Part of its commitment to ensure that all new development in Cornwall is of the best quality that it can be. In January 2019 the Council allocated £159m to the scheme. This supported the development of a masterplan and infrastructure for the whole site. This included £47m for building the Northern Access Road.

Chaired by local Cornwall Councillor Dulcie Tudor, the panel includes representatives of:

• Truro City Council and Kenwyn Parish Council.
• Threemilestone School
• Threemilestone Community Centre
• Threemilestone business estate
• the stadium partnership, and 
• cycling and environmental groups

Councillor Tudor said “We want to protect the interests of the local community. This means creating positive benefits for both existing and future residents. Addressing concerns over the quality of some new homes. Addressing the impact on existing traffic congestion on the A390. Managing increased pressures on local schools and health services. We will work together to address these concerns. We want the scheme to provide a sustainable community. A more attractive place to live and good quality homes

Panel helps set standards for Langarth Masterplan

During the first panel meeting, members were asked for their 'three wishes' for the Langarth scheme.

The Panel helped identify the company leading the development of the masterplan. They then worked with the team to create a range of design principles for the masterplan. These set the standards for place making and design.

The 10 agreed design principles include: 

• Work with and enhance the quality of life for local communities.
• Making it easy and possible to get around on foot, bike and public transport. Both within Langarth and into surrounding communities. 
• Help instil a strong sense of community.
• Creating a place that builds upon and celebrates this unique environment. 
• Creating a hard working landscape that looks beautiful and is functional and productive. 
• Promote active and healthy lifestyles and a sense of wellbeing. 
• Designing for climate change resilience. 
• Offers a mix of homes of homes meeting the varying needs of residents. 
• Creating jobs and enhancing existing employment opportunities. 
• A vision that is deliverable. 

Since then the panel has considered the emerging masterplan options in detail. This includes advising on;

• the design and quality of housing,
• transport links,
• community facilities, including new schools, health, leisure, play, faith and emergency facilities,
• green and open spaces,
• working with the Council to develop community investment projects in Threemilestone and Highertown. 

Members supported the proposal of five centres across the site. They worked on the development of five character areas. They advised on the design codes. These set the required standards for all development on the site. They helped develop the evaluation framework. This will form a key part of the masterplan and the outline planning application.

They also supported the comprehensive consultation and community engagement programme. They worked with the Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Plan group. 

'Virtual' meeting for final panel meeting

The final meeting of the stakeholder panel took place in April 2020. This was a “virtual" meeting because of the coronavirus restrictions. 

During the last meeting panel members reviewed the latest masterplan proposals. They also highlighted further proposals to include in the final masterplan.

Impact of the stakeholder panel

The Council said the community must lead the masterplanning of Langarth Garden Village. The work of the stakeholder panel has played a key role in helping to achieve this aim. Panel members have commented on their involvement in the Langarth project

The benefits to existing and future residents include: 

• Protecting at least 48% of the existing green space within the site. This compares with 19% in the previous applications. 
• Providing a good mix between: detached (15%), semi-detached (25%), terraced houses (55%) and bungalows (5%); with 35% affordable homes (for local people). 
• There are also homes which are adaptable for different stages of life. Housing for key workers such as nurses and teachers. Self build, live-work, and co-living homes. Student accommodation. Communal living. Extra care housing for older people and people with disabilities. Self build and retirement homes, pathway homes, assisted living and intergenerational housing. 
• Building high quality homes. This includes a standard at least 20% higher than current building regulations. A target of achieving Zero Carbon within five years. 
• Using low carbon energy sources. These include ground source heat pumps with photovoltaic panels rather than fossil fuels. Electric charging points for every house and high levels of insulation. 
• Providing one new primary school at the start of the project. A second primary school when required to meet demand. 
• Integrated health facilities. These will meet the needs of the new residents and avoid increasing pressure on RCHT. 
•  Improving transport links. Works to improve the existing A390 as part of a wider transport strategy for Truro. Delivering the new Northern Access Road at the start of the development. Walkable and cycle friendly streets. These will link with new cycle routes into and around the city. Improved public transport. Increased bus services, cheaper fares, and E-Bike and E-car clubs. 
• Improved connectivity. Generous and interconnected green corridors. These will link to existing settlements. They will also link with existing and planned retail developments in the rest of Truro. 
• Investment in community projects in Threemilestone and Highertown. This will help reduce pressure on local services. These community projects include: Community Hall at All Saints Church Highertown, new hall at Threemilestone School, upgrading the Community Centre, providing new playing pitches, improving the village centre to reduce congestion and increase parking. 
• Sustainable drainage systems. These will provide a natural flood prevention system. Enhance biodiversity.
• Creating a vibrant, co-ordinated development - a place where people want to live, work and visit; green and public spaces; live-work housing solutions; access to superfast broadband; support for start-ups; growth for small and medium sized enterprises; new sports, cultural and play areas; providing areas for young families which are close to schools and surrounded by nature. 
• Building on Cornish heritage. Promoting the use of local sourced building materials. Using local tradespeople. 
• Variety of different housing sizes and styles. Not a bland “one size fits all” approach. 
• Setting the development within the historic fields. Minimise impact on existing hedgerows. Create new hedges. Increase biodiversity on the site by up to 20%.
• Planting at least 50,000 new trees as part of the Forest for Cornwall 
• Providing allotments, a community farm, community gardens and community orchards. This will support food production and bring communities together. 
• Working with Building Cornwall to support the creation of local jobs. Supporting apprentice schemes in the area.
• Supporting innovation in the building industry. Promoting the use of new technologies and helping to create expertise in the local area.

Minutes and presentation from stakeholder meetings