Buses, Penwith and Cornwall Council

Having just read the statement on the Western Greyhound website http://www.westerngreyhound.com./  

‘Notice was given by Cornwall Council officers on a number of routes at the end of July and we were also given a list of proposed bus service cuts by Cornwall Council. Those proposals affected almost the entire Western Greyhound operation in “Penwith” rendering the very small remaining operation unsustainable.’

This decision made by officers at Cornwall Council, with no consultation, no contact with transport groups or Town Councils in West Cornwall shows a level of arrogance that is hard to believe or maybe not?

Still no statement from those officers as to why they think West Cornwall does not require a full bus service, how this decision was made, any alternatives they are considering.

I do know that our local County Councillors are meeting with the officers and transport groups, but this still has the feel of all too late, once again, a decision has been made by officers, and then consultation begins.  

Now it is no secret that I am not a great fan of Cornwall Council and some of its officers and the way the West of the County is considered and treated by them.

This has come about not because I don't want to work with them to improve Penzance, it’s because so many of the decisions made by them are made without the benefit of local opinion, until it’s too late for those opinions to be considered. Or we are given options that are no option.

Sadly, all too often, this is the order in which things happen at Cornwall Council, and they wonder why they get a bad press and anger people.

Retail Park in 'Hayle'

I read with interest the article in this weeks Cornishman (5th Sept) regarding the proposed retail development in ‘Hayle’. The first thing that comes to mind is that the development is no more in Hayle than I am, it’s a development alongside the A30, adding to the retail park that is already there.

There has been much written about the impact of the Sainsbury Supermarket being built on the edge of Penzance and the impact this will have on the town centre, I fancy that will be as nothing to the impact this proposed development will have, not only on Penzance but on the whole of the West of Cornwall.

This will be out of town shopping on a scale unknown in this part of the world. A further 11  major retail units adding to the 4 major units already on the site will have a huge impact on the whole area.

However, as the development is nominally in ‘Hayle’ no one in Penzance, St Ives and other towns in the area will be consulted, no mitigation will be forthcoming, and I am sure no consideration will be given to the wider impact of this development.

The developer and Mayor of Hayle  both state this development will be good for Hayle, I can't see how, no one is going to travel to this development on the A30 and then say, oh while we're here let’s pop into Hayle, it doesn't happen now and it’s not going to happen in the future.  

Coinagehall Street redevelopment in Penzance

This morning I went to a meeting with the developers of the Old Vospers Garage (Coinagehall Street) site in Penzance, the meeting had been scheduled for sometime, and was a follow up to the public consultation held some 8 months ago. The main part of the site is publicly owned and has been a key site for development for a long time.

The development is being undertaken by a private company with private money, with the developer being the preferred bidder when Cornwall Council looked for interest in the site.

There have been some major changes in the plan since the public consultation, with the developers taking onboard many of the comments made at that consultation. The development will incorporate a 70 bedroom hotel, 50 flats and 7 retail/restaurant outlets, around a central open space. There will be parking for 94 cars under the building.  

Whilst I will wait for a full planning application before passing my own comments on the plans, they appear to be going in the right direction, on this very important site for redevelopment within Penzance.

Or I should say were, for the development to go ahead in its current form the developers would have to purchase 3 sites in private hands to bring the full development in. As is often the case the owners of these sites are keen to get the best price they can, pushing the developer to a price that cannot be justified, in these cases, a Compulsory Purchase Order can be made, and that looks to be the situation here. 

To that end a recommendation was put to the informal meeting of Cornwall Cabinet members yesterday morning, with officers recommending approval, at this point the cabinet turned down the development, not just the application for a CPO, citing the change to the streetscape of Coinagehall Street as the reason. I’m lead to believe that the cabinet was unanimous in this decision. That is it the end of this development.

Now I’ve been around politics long enough to know this seems very strange, for a start ‘unanimous’ against officers recommendation, if all ten were there, I would have expected 1 or 2 in favour at the very least.

Now I’ve only heard one side of a story and will try to find out the other. However, if what I’ve heard is a true reflection of the situation, then someone has been very busy briefing the Cabinet, against this major Penzance development, at County Hall. 

Planning Applications. Damned Again

Two weeks ago, I wrote a piece on a Planning Application for change of use from a retail shop to a take away. Read ‘Damned if you do Damned if you don't’ here

A bit like buses immediately along comes another one, (this of course does not apply in Cornwall, where the first bus would not arrive).

Again, this is for a change of use Retail to Fast Food Takeaway, this time located in Causewayhead. We also have a little more information it is to be a ‘Greek Fast Food Takeaway’ I think that means a Kebab Shop.

The Planning Committee will face the same issues as to the previous application. Anyone want to be a councillor on the planning committee?

One other application may be of interest, again a change of use, this time from a former fish stores to a two screen cinema, café, bar and accommodation in Newlyn Coombe, just across the road from the Meadery.

I went to an open day put on by the applicant a few weeks ago; it seems a very interesting development.

I don't think there was one person who did not mention where do you park?

Damned if you do damned if you don’t.

This evening (13 June 2013) there is a meeting of the Penzance Town Council Planning Committee, this will be the second meeting of that committee since the elections, of the 10 members on the committee, 5 are new members, some of whom were very critical of the Town Council planning committee before being elected, regarding development and retail shops within the town.

Tonight the members have an interesting application to consider.

No PA13/02516  

Applicant: Mr P. Jemmett, 3 Hanover Square, London

Change of use from A1 to A5 (Retail to Takeaway) 1-2 Market Jew Street.

At first glance not too much to worry about, just a change of use, not even the full planning application.

Things the committee will have to consider:

Loss of retail space on the main street, 1-2 Market Jew Street use to be Curry’s Digital.

Bringing an empty shop back in to use.

Number of Takeaways already in the town centre. Is this one different? Hard to tell, as the application does not say what type of takeaway it’s to be. This application is only for change of use, the applicants address is a branch of Citibank.

If the committee decide not to object, they will be accused of:

Letting the town centre go to rack and ruin.

Letting too many takeaways open in the town.

Destroying the town centre.

Selling out to big business.

Turning the town centre into a clone town.

If the committee decide to object, they will be accused of:  

Letting the town centre go to rack and ruin.

Failing to encourage business.

Not caring about the town centre.

Destroying the town centre.

Not encouraging a big business into the town.

As the saying goes, damned if you do damned if you don’t.

Even more good news

Even more good news.

Mrs Pz01, who was in town (Penzance) this morning noticed that Sorcha Cubitt Beauty had opened today, at the bottom of Causewayhead. Following on from my Blog from Tuesday about two other independents, one expanding and one opening in Penzance, this can only be even more good news for independent traders in Penzance and another good reason to visit.

I know Sorcha and am very pleased to see her return to the centre of town and wish her well.

Sorcha Cubitt on facebook

A little bit of good news

A little bit of good news, I popped into town yesterday (Penzance), Mrs Pz01 is on holidays so retail all the way.

 I was pleased to see that Lou’s Shoes in Causewayhead have moved. For those who don't know, Lou’s Shoes were based about halfway up Causewayhead, in what must have been the smallest shoe shop in the world, not anymore, they have taken over the old ETS shop at the bottom of Causewayhead and yesterday was opening day, it was full.

Great to see an independent trader prepared, and with the confidence, to expand in these difficult times. I wish them the very best.

Also I see that Olivers Photographic have opened in Market Jew Street, another independent willing to give it a go, again I wish them the very best.  

Just one more thing, I saw this as I made my way up Causewayhead and it just tickled my fancy.