Cornwall 6.9% of land is developed or is it?

Data from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities(DLUCH} for 2022 suggests that developed land accounts for 6.9% of the land area of Cornwall. What appears to be a relatively low figure is used by some to support further development. But does it give the correct picture?

Lets look at what ‘Developed’ land covers. The table below sets out the main categories. Transport & utilities are the largest component at 3.9%.

Category	Area(Hectares)	Area (% share)
Transport & utilities	13,841	3.9
Unknown developed	6,041	1.7
Residential	2,361	0.7
Community services	1,014	0.3
Industry & commerce	774	0.2
Minerals & landfill	317	0.1
Defence	1	0.0
Total	24,340	100

However, there is an undeveloped category that includes certain types of land use that probably ought to be defined as developed. These are set out below.

Category	Area (Hectares)	Area (% share)
Residential gardens	11,415	3.2
Outdoor recreation	3,375	1.0
Undeveloped land	1,376	0.1
Agricultural buildings	303	0.1
Vacant	253	0.1
Total	16,723	100

With the exception of Agricultural buildings, the other categories are in effect part of what would be considered built up areas. They are not fields or ‘wild' areas.

If we include all of those categories we have a total of 41,062, which is equivalent to 11.6% of the total area.

Category	Area (Hectares)	Area (% of all developed)
Transport & utilities	13,841	33.7
Residential gardens	11,415	27.8
Unknown developed	6,041	14.7
Outdoor recreation	3,375	8.2
Residential	2,351	5.7
Undeveloped land	1,376	3.4
Community service	1,014	2.5
Industry & commerce	774	1.9
Minerals & landfill	317	0.8
Agricultural buildings	303	0.7
Vacant	253	0.6
Defence	1	0.0
Total	41,062	100

We can conclude therefore that over a tenth of Cornwall's area is developed in one way or another.

The undeveloped land area includes agricultural land - 243,744 hectares (68.7%), forestry 35,454 (10%), Natural 14,704 (4.1%), with Rough grassland accounting for 17,518 (4.9%).

What does it all mean?

The figures suggest that we have to consider that we need agricultural land for food and non-agricultural land for environmental services. It is not 'empty' land available for development.

Categories

Agricultural Buildings (B) Buildings and hard surface areas and farm roads found on farm holdings. (Note – farmhouses are classified as Residential (R) and farm shops are classified as Retailing (K)).

Outdoor Recreation (O) Outdoor recreation areas such as playing fields and sports grounds, including those in schools and industrial sites, football pitches, golf courses, country parks and allotment gardens. (Note – Buildings, such as stables, clubhouses and pavilions, associated with Outdoor Recreation are classified as Leisure and Recreational Buildings (L).