20.10.06
Major investment in Pool regeneration
The regeneration of Camborne, Pool and Redruth in West Cornwall
has taken a major step forward with the announcement today
(October 20) of a significant investment towards the creation
of thousands of new jobs and hundreds of new homes.
The South West of England Regional Development Agency (RDA)
has agreed to provide funding to buy up to 147 acres of mainly
brownfield land in the former industrial heartland of Pool,
and to use its compulsory purchase powers.
The RDA will endeavour to buy the 114 different parcels of
land by negotiation while the CPO process takes its course.
This includes land centred around the former Camborne School
of Mines and Robinson's Shaft complex, key sites surrounding
the East Hill junction off the A30 dual carriageway, and the
33 acre site of the former South Crofty mine. The land is
vital for the creation of at least 2,000 new job opportunities,
580 new homes, the £30 million Heartlands Project (see
below) and a range of other employment, leisure, and transport
projects that have evolved from public consultation over the
last five years. Only land that is essential to the long-term
regeneration of Pool has been identified for acquisition.
The RDA will work with Cornwall County Council to take proper
account of any legal requirement to protect the mineral resources
at South Crofty and their future working.
The South West RDA, national regeneration agency English
Partnerships and possibly the new European Convergence Programme
for Cornwall will meet the estimated £25 million costs
of buying the land and paying compensation and disturbance
costs to businesses that need relocating.
CPR Regeneration, the urban regeneration company for Camborne,
Pool and Redruth, will lead negotiations with landowners to
buy sites and is already talking to many of them.
Nick Buckland, deputy chairman of the South West RDA, said:
"Today's announcement represents a huge step
forward for the regeneration of Camborne, Pool and Redruth.
Buying this land will unlock the enormous regeneration potential
of the area by creating the conditions that are vital to attract
investment. Without this step there is a very real risk that
the regeneration aims that have been clearly defined over
the last five years would simply not happen."
Nigel Tipple, chief executive of CPR Regeneration, said:
"The social and economic aspirations that we share with
the local community will only be achieved if we develop the
area in a comprehensive and managed way. The commitment of
the RDA to invest in land and use its CPO powers will be a
catalyst to achieving that aim and will give the private sector
the confidence to take up the many investment opportunities
that will be created as a result."
David Warburton, area director for English Partnerships,
said: "We have made significant land acquisitions
in the area to ensure the delivery of high quality, sustainable
neighborhoods and we welcome the support from the RDA, which
will help us to drive forward the regeneration of Pool for
the benefit of local people."
Andrew Mitchell, economy portfolio holder at Cornwall County
Council said: "We fully support the use of the RDA's
CPO powers to acquire whatever land is necessary to deliver
the investment this area needs. Pool has one of the highest
concentrations of brownfield land in the region and its transformation
will bring lasting benefits not just to the local community
but to Cornwall as a whole."
Mark Kaczmarek, economy and regeneration portfolio holder
at Kerrier District Council, said: "What local people
want to see more than anything is things happening on the
ground. There's a time for change and that time has
come. This announcement gives us confidence that regeneration
will be happening here and we're looking forward to
a positive approach to the whole area. The local authorities
understand the need to comply with any legal requirement to
protect tin reserves, recognised in the recent ROMPS application
granted by the County Council and the World Heritage Site
status recently given to this area."
The areas identified for acquisition include a number of
key sites that are vital to realising the regeneration plans
for the area, all of which are set out in Kerrier District
Council's draft Area Action Plan for Camborne, Pool
and Redruth. This has evolved through public consultation
and shows where most growth and redevelopment should take
place over the next 20 years.
The sites include:
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Trevenson Road: CPR Regeneration and English Partnerships
have over the last 18 months drawn up detailed plans to
create 2,000 new office-based jobs and 580 homes mainly
on land east of Dudnance Lane. It includes the RDA's
£7.3 million Omega Innovation Centre, which was
recently granted planning permission, and Kerrier District
Council's £30 million Heartlands Project to
create a new urban park and restore the historic Robinson's
Shaft complex as a gateway to West Cornwall's World
Heritage Sites. |
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East Hill junction: a detailed scheme has been drawn
up by the county council in discussion with the Highways
Authority to ease this major traffic bottleneck, which
includes access to the A30 dual carriageway. Land needs
to be acquired to make this happen and without major improvements
to the junction future development of the area will be
severely constrained. |
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Land to the west of Dudnance Lane: including the South
Crofty site, this has been earmarked in Kerrier District
Council's draft Area Action Plan for employment
and leisure uses. This could include a new integrated
health and leisure facility including a relocated health
centre and replacement for Carn Brea Leisure Centre and
land for the new East Hill junction, the East West link
road (see below) and improvements to Dudnance Lane. |
| |
East West link road: A new £48 million access
road is planned to ease congestion, open up further land
for development and ensure that new developments are properly
integrated within the local transport network. Cornwall
County Council has applied to the Government for funding
to support the scheme. The areas identified for acquisition
include land that is essential to build the new road,
including part of the South Crofty site. |
The RDA has written to all landowners that have so far been
identified within the proposed CPO area to inform them of
its resolution to use its CPO powers.
For further information please contact Jason Clark at Deborah
Clark and Associates Ltd on 01872 276276 or email jason@dclark.co.uk.
The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the
Isles of Scilly has invested in CPR Urban Regeneration Company
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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