16.04.07
Penryn public realm work to begin

A project that will improve the environment of the historic town of Penryn is set to begin this month.

The Penryn public realm works are set to begin on April 24th and will be undertaken by CORMAC, the highway maintenance contractual arm of Cornwall County Council. It is estimated they will be finished eight weeks later and extra work teams are being laid on to achieve this.

Work will include replacing and renewing areas of granite which has been lost, adding flower troughs, getting rid of unnecessary signage and adding public seats and new, seagull-proof litter bins. Granite is being sourced locally, via Tim Marsh, a mason based at Mabe, and will be a mixture of locally sourced reclaimed and new.

Fish Cross, the area across from the King's Arms where there is currently an old bus shelter, is to be transformed and turned into a town focal point. The old bus shelter will be demolished and replaced with a newer bus stop, trees will be replaced, and a public seat added.

Further up the main street, near the Town Hall, granite that has moved due to car parking in the area will be made level, areas of concrete replaced with granite, and granite planters added. Railings that have been lost at the front and rear of the Town Hall will be replaced with a traditional style, using wrought iron.

The public realm works will be building on the Penryn Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI), which has meant almost £3 million of investment is being spent on transforming buildings through the main streets.

Chris Matthews, Carrick District Council Project Conservation Officer, said: "Penryn Townscape Heritage Initiative is already transforming the town and helping to attract new business. With the THI, the hub of the new Combined Universities in Cornwall at Tremough, and the recent opening of the environmentally friendly Jubilee Wharf Development at the bottom entrance to Penryn, the public spaces need to be improved to enhance the overall effect. This will be the icing on the cake.

"Extra manpower will be employed to minimise the impact of this work. The aim is to finish within eight weeks although the contract is for twelve."

The Townscape Heritage Initiative has received investment from Objective One European Regional Development Fund (£670,000), Heritage Lottery Fund (£400,000), South West Regional Development Agency (£170,000) and Carrick District Council (£100,000), with additional money for the public realm works coming from Cornwall County Council (£50,000) and Penryn Town Council (£10,000). The THI investment has attracted match funding from individual businesses.

So far 23 projects have been completed, including a training scheme in traditional building skills. By the time the Townscape Heritage Initiative finishes in September, 30 buildings will have been improved and, it is estimated, 41 extra full time equivalent jobs will have been created.

Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Objective One Partnership, said: "The Objective One Programme has invested in ten towns across Cornwall to improve the quality of public places. Quality at the heart of the town attracts better business investment and improves the quality of experience for those who use it. I am pleased to see the continuation of investment in Penryn which is playing a greater role in the local economy of Carrick and Kerrier."

An exhibition of the public realm plans as well as photographs of 'before and after' examples of THI buildings is currently in the museum area of Penryn Town Hall.

For further information contact Clare Morgan, Media Relations Manager for the Objective One Partnership on 01872 223439/07973 813647 or email cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in the Penryn Townscape Heritage Initiative through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Editor's notes:

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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