Last Thursday the Strategic Planning Committee of Cornwall
Council made the decision to approve the outline planning permission for the
Higher Trewhiddle Farm Scheme.
As I am
sure most people will be aware, this decision comes after years of debate about
the need for an out of town retail park for St Austell. Many people worked
together in order to present the case for this development. Whilst I am aware that there were some people
who did not wish to see this application approved, I believe the will of the vast
majority of local people shone through during the meeting.
I would
like to take this opportunity to commend both Jackie Bull and Malcolm Brown, as
local members of the committee for the way that they stood up for the people of
St Austell and fought hard to get the best outcome at the planning meeting, along
with all our local councilors who spoke up for this area.
The
application had the support of the Pentewan Parish Council (in whose area the
development will sit), St Austell Town Council, the St Austell Bay Chamber of
Commerce, and all of the Cornwall Councillors from St Austell and the
surrounding area, regardless of their political affiliation, as well as the
vast majority of local residents.
I was
pleased to lend my public support to this application. The Higher Trewhiddle scheme is one that I
have backed from the start and I have worked closely with the applicants,
Cornwall Council and relevant agencies throughout to ensure the people of St
Austell and the surrounding area got the very best possible deal.
I was
struck by the overwhelming level of public support demonstrated to me for this
scheme, both from the thousands of people I met in the run up to the election
but also from the vast numbers of supportive letters and emails I have had regarding
this in recent weeks.
This is a
momentous decision after years of frustration. For too long St Austell has overlooked
by Cornwall Council’s planners in favour of other retail destinations and I am
delighted that soon we will have a greater retail choice.
The Scheme
does not only offer retail, it will also allow Pondhu School to expand, provide
much needed additional hotel facilities in St Austell and go some way to meet
the new housing target that has been set.
The development will offer jobs both in the construction phase and on an
ongoing basis.
While
Higher Trewhiddle represents an important step for St Austell, we should not
forget that there is still much to do.
We need to expand our infrastructure, provide more jobs, and retail choices
for residents, and to support our town centre to become the vibrant, community
focus that it once was. I will now
continue to work closely with the developers and Cornwall Council to ensure
that the promises made are fulfilled. If we all work together as we have done
in the past few weeks and months, then St Austell can look forward to a
positive future.
