At Cornwall Council’s planning meeting, people heard both for and against the major development which will change the face of Penzance’s seafront today (Tuesday, May 28) before committee members made their decision. The local authority’s western area planning committee discussed controversial plans to redevelop the Coinagehall Street area again after a site meeting earlier this month.
Treveth – Cornwall Council’s development arm – has proposed demolishing the PZ Gallery and other buildings on the seafront to create a development of 36 homes, including 11 affordable properties, and seven businesses alongside the St Anthony Gardens redevelopment.
The site, described as “sensitive” by planning officer Peter Bainbridge, is close to Jubilee Pool and the town’s marina. He said: “There is a significant amount of opposition, but also significant support.” The main concerns regarding the objections relate to the loss of the PZ Gallery, improvements to St Anthony Gardens and the visual impact of block D of the plan, which contains both residential and retail units.
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Mr Bainbridge added that the positives included it being an allocated development site, a well-designed scheme, public benefits outweighing damage to the area’s heritage and no objections to motorways with only a moderate impact on neighbours. He recommended that the committee approve.
Julian Holder, a senior associate lecturer in the history of architecture at Oxford University and a former inspector of historic buildings with Historic England, said he had been asked to speak by several of the more than 200 objectors. “This application is an attack on the character of Penzance’s conservation area,” said Dr. Holder, adding that many of the existing buildings, including the PZ Gallery, are of architectural significance. “In my professional opinion I would say it is the best of its kind in the country and represents Penzance nationally and internationally.
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Gerry Penrose, representing Penzance Civic Society, said he was representing “hundreds of objections raised by concerned residents on the planning website, three town hall meetings and those raised by the town council in its submission”.
“It’s understandable that we’re getting to a stage where we think ‘something is better than nothing’, but what’s built now will be with us for the next 100 years. It shouldn’t be a short-term advantage, but it should be the best. ” what can we do for Penzance and Cornwall The proposal misses a once in a lifetime opportunity for the new heart of Penzance in this prominent location.”
Next up was Dick Cliffe, former mayor of Penzance and current member of the Penzance Town Deal Board, who agreed to commit £3.6m to the project. If a decision was not made by September, government funding would be lost.
“I and others consider this site to be a major permanent eyesore and therefore a priority for development. Attempts to redevelop this site by private sector developers over the past 20 years have been thwarted – the site is complex and economically marginal. This proposal is the fourth attempt and addresses the area’s neglected public realm and is the first to address local housing need by providing rental homes, two-thirds of which are for local residents.’
Current Mayor Stephen Reynolds’ personal opinion – as read by Mr Cliffe – was that the revised St Anthony Gardens proposal was a huge improvement on what was originally proposed and “goes a very long way to addressing my concerns and the concerns of the local community. “.
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Dominic O’Neill of Treveth said the company’s aim was to provide homes and business opportunities for local people. He said Historic England had no objection to the loss of the view from Battery Road to St Mary’s Church, which had been one of the main objections. He argued that, while prominent, the development would not compete with other important buildings or threaten the setting of the adjacent Grade II listed Jubilee Pool and Church.
Local Cornwall councilor Cllr Jim McKenna said around 92 per cent of the “over 200 people” who objected were concerned about the scale and hoarding, particularly of block D. He said the scheme still needed improvement.
“For the developers, and I assume for the council, the timing is clearly the most important to make a decision because of the £3.6m of public funding from Future High Streets which needs to be spent fairly quickly, but it should not override the need to ensure the development, which suits the iconic location deserves better than what is being proposed,” added Cllr McKenna.
Councilors such as Loveday Jenkin and John Thomas mentioned that when they visited the site they felt that opening the gardens could destroy their contemplative nature and heritage aspect. Cllr Jenkin added that a number of concerns aired at the site meeting, including the size and design of Block D, had not been addressed by the developer.
Cllr Thomas proposed the refusal based on the “unsympathetic” design and massing of Block D, the loss of views of the Grade II listed St Mary’s Church. degrees plus the loss of the character of St Anthony Gardens and the environment in the conservation area. The objection was rejected after a vote.
Cllr John Keeling proposed giving planning officers delegated powers of approval after various issues with Treveth were resolved. However, this was withdrawn following concerns from other MPs.
The final vote to approve the development was won by five in favor, four against and one abstention.