Demolition of Trengrouse House in Helston application

Trengrouse House has sat empty since the start of 2022, when it was transferred back to Cornwall Council. Cornwall Care had handed back the leasehold of the building in January of that year.

In March 2023 it was revealed that the building – together with another former care home, Trefula House in St Day – was to be sold, as both were considered no longer fit for purpose.

At the time the redevelopment plans included the demolition of the existing buildings on the site and transferring the land for redevelopment into new facilities.

And in January of this year, it was confirmed that the intention at that time was still to find a developer to demolish, plan, rebuild and provide a new adult social care residential home facility on that site.

At the same time, Cornwall Council began seeking expressions of interest regarding “Care home services and care home redevelopment opportunities in Cornwall” – specifically Trengrouse House, and Trefula.

It said that whoever took on the sites would be required to purchase the freehold for both from the council, with restrictions to build and operate a “new build older persons care home” on each site.

Now a notice has gone up outside the Helston nursing home, announcing that an application has been submitted to Cornwall Council for “Prior Approval for proposed demolition of former nursing home, Trengrouse Home, Trengrouse Way, Helston.”

It has been submitted by Nat Parsons of Arcadis Consulting, with Trewin Design Architects acting as agents.

Details are limited at this stage, with the reason for the demolition given simply as: “To facilitate new development.”

It states that the plan is to begin demolition work in January, with the intention of completing it by the start of August 2025.

Trengrouse House was handed back to Cornwall Council in 2022 Some types of development are granted planning permission by national legislation without the need to submit a planning application. This is known as 'Permitted Development'.

Certain demolition work is among those developments that can be carried out under permitted development rights - but it requires a Prior Approval application to the Local Planning Authority such as the one now submitted for Trengrouse House.

While the “new development” in the application is not specified, there has been no change announced as to the council’s intentions for the site.

While seeking expressions of interest, the council said the successful service provider must have secure funding in place to design, obtain planning permission, develop and construct a scheme for both the Helston and St Day sites.

It went on to add: “As a minimum each scheme must include a new build older persons care home and key worker accommodation on each site that meets the council’s requirements, that provides accommodation that is fit for purpose, designed to modern standards and meets the council’s design principles for new build care homes, good practice for dementia friendly environments and any relevant CQC and legislative requirements.”

Once the two schemes were completed the service provider would have to maintain the ownership of the two sites and be responsible for their operational management.

They must also agree to dedicated access to a number of the guaranteed beds for local authority placements and the ability for the council to spot purchase additional beds over and above the guaranteed beds at both sites.

The application for Prior Approval can be seen on Cornwall Council's planning portal via its website, reference PA24/05549.