Penzance Neighbourhood Plan Approved by 91.6% in Referendum

A decade-long community effort to shape the future of development across Penzance Parish has passed a major milestone, with over 91% voting in favour of the Penzance Neighbourhood Plan.

Resounding Support at the Polls

The referendum, held on Thursday 31st July, saw residents answer a single question:
“Do you want Cornwall Council to use the neighbourhood plan for Penzance Parish to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?”

Out of 15,848 registered voters, 3,197 ballot papers were issued, giving a turnout of 20.17%. Of those, 2,928 voted ‘Yes’, and only 268 voted ‘No’ — a result that puts 91.6% firmly behind the new Plan.

A Local Voice in Planning Decisions

The Penzance Neighbourhood Plan will now be adopted by Cornwall Council and used alongside the Local Plan, national planning policy, and other council guidance when considering planning applications in Penzance Parish.

Covering the communities of Penzance, Newlyn, Mousehole, Heamoor, Gulval, Paul and Eastern Green, the Plan was created following years of consultation, surveys and public feedback. It is one of the most complex Neighbourhood Plans in Cornwall, running to over 200 pages.

The Mayor of Penzance, Stephen Reynolds, who was among the many volunteers involved, described the result as a “landmark moment”:

“For the first time, planning applications in the Penzance parish area will be decided not only using policies written in Westminster and Truro, but also policies developed by local people, for local people,” said Stephen.

“It’s been a massive collective effort, only possible thanks to the many volunteers who gave their time to run consultations in their communities, draft the plan, and then help it clear this final hurdle — not to mention the invaluable support from the officers and staff at Penzance Council.

“I’m delighted that thousands of residents showed the commitment to come out and vote. After many years in the making, we finally have a set of planning policies that reflect the kind of place we want to live in, and to hand on to future generations.”

Key Policies in the Penzance Neighbourhood Plan

The Plan introduces several locally-led planning policies, including:

• Protection of Over 80 Green Spaces: Most are designated as “Local Green Spaces”, giving them the highest level of protection under national policy.

• Principal Residence Requirement: New-build homes in certain areas must be occupied as a primary residence. This applies to Mousehole, Paul, Tredavoe, parts of Newlyn centre, and areas around Penzance prom and harbour.

• Biodiversity and Green Buffers: Policies are included to safeguard biodiversity corridors and preserve the distinct character of individual villages by maintaining green separation between them.

What Happens Next?

Cornwall Council will now incorporate the Penzance Neighbourhood Plan into its planning decisions within the parish. The Plan joins a growing number of local plans across Cornwall aiming to give residents more influence over the shape and character of their communities.

While turnout was relatively low at just over 20%, the overwhelming level of support sends a strong message about the desire of residents to have a greater say in the future of where they live.