Catesby Property Group will this week submit an outline planning application to North Cornwall District Council for a comprehensive residential, retail and employment development on land on the eastern edge of Bude in the vicinity of Binhamy Farm.

The plans, which have changed in a number of respects since Catesby displayed its proposals at a public exhibition in Bude in September of this year, include the following key elements:

Around 400 new homes including an element of affordable housing, both for purchase, shared ownership and for rent.

A self-contained retirement village together with an affordable 'Extra Care' scheme for elderly people requiring supervised care.

Potential for up to 500 new jobs in an expanded Bude Business Park (plus a further 500 jobs on land already committed adjacent to the site).

Five new shop units and space for a discount foodstore.

Land for a new community building facing onto an enclosed public square.

Substantial areas of public open space including children's play areas, a 'green' lane through the site and informal open space surrounding the site of Binhamy Castle (a scheduled ancient monument).

John Acres, a director of Catesby Property Group, said: "I am really excited about our proposals for Binhamy Farm. We have had a very positive and helpful response to our ideas from the local community and we have tried to reflect the views of people in Bude where we can. We have made some significant changes since the proposals were put on public display in September.

"There was strong support from local people and organisations, such as the Bude Partnership, for the idea of some form of community centre on the site. We have therefore provided land for a new community building facing onto an enclosed public square not far from the Stratton Road entrance to the site. The future use of this building is something for the local community, rather than Catesby, to decide.

"The least popular aspect of the scheme that we displayed earlier this year was the proposed hotel and pub/restaurant on the A39. We have responded to local public and business opinion on this point by removing them from the plan.

"However, we have also included a retirement village with an affordable Extra Care Centre that will cater for elderly people who need supervised care. We believe that this facility will meet a real need within the local community."

In view of the size and significance of the project the planning application is accompanied by a full Environmental Impact Assessment.

One of the most controversial aspects of the earlier draft plan was the decision not to include a new medical centre on the site, which was a feature of a previous proposal by Catesby. Over the past couple of months, Catesby has met again with the Cornwall Primary Care Trust who confirmed that the Trust does not want a new site for a medical centre on the site but, instead, will seek to improve existing medical facilities in the area.

The company has also explored the availability of school places in the Bude area for future years and concluded that there should be sufficient school places available to cater for school aged children from the new development.

The planning application is also accompanied by a detailed Public Consultation Statement, prepared by PPS who organised the public exhibitions and other consultation material on Catesby's behalf. The PCS documents the consultation process undertaken, the views expressed by the local community and Catesby's response to their comments.

Catesby's project website http://www.catesbysouthwest.info">www.catesbysouthwest.info has been updated to include details of the planning application, the newsletter and the Public Consultation Statement. Other key planning documents including the Trans­portation Assessment, the Design and Access Statement and the final masterplan will also be added to the website.

Once Catesby's planning application has been registered, North Cornwall District Council will undertake consultation on the plans. The council is expected to consider the application next year.

If planning permission is granted, detailed designs will need to be drawn up and approved before any building work can begin. The development, which is not expected to start until 2010, will be phased over a 10 to 15 year period and built out in stages in response to demand.