Lost Forever?
Cornwall Council as part of the Route Partnership’s Isles of Scilly Link project wants to build a passenger terminal, freight depot and lorry park on this Penzance beach. At Route Partnership exhibitions in September 2008 and January 2009 close to 9 out of 10 people rejected the plans, and for very good reasons:• They will destroy a beautiful and valued natural asset in the heart of the town.
• They will destroy views of the bay and spoil the setting of the town’s historic seafront.
• Council Taxes may have to rise to cover the £22 million cost of the new boat.
• They bring no special economic or other advantages to the town of Penzance.
• The sea link to the Isles of Scilly is NOT under threat.
• There are better cheaper alternatives that respect and enhance the historic harbour and promenade area and bring economic and other benefits to Penzance.
The Route Partnership intends to ignore the wishes of the majority of Penzance residents and plough on with this unnecessary and destructive scheme. The Friends of Penzance Harbour needs your help to stop them.
Latest Developments
Council resubmit application for Listed Building Consent - PLEASE OBJECT AGAIN!8/2/10
Cornwall Council has resubmitted an application for Listed Building Consent for its plans to build a freight and passenger terminal on Battery Rocks beach. The deadline for objections is March 4th and the Strategic Planning Committee will consider the application at a meeting at County Hall in Truro on March 8th.
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A sad day for Cornwall Council
28/1/10
Cllr Graeme Hicks' letter to The Cornishman newspaper today is couched in terms which any ordinary citizen should be ashamed to use, let alone a public official with senior responsibilities.
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English Heritage objection to Option A “still stands”
25/1/10
In a letter addressed to the Chief Executive of Cornwall Council, English Heritage have said that the objection they made to the recent request by Cornwall Council for listed building consent for Penzance South Pier “still stands”.
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MP convenes meeting to discuss alternatives to Option A
22/1/10
Andrew George has invited key organisations and individuals to a meeting to discuss the future of the Isles of Scilly ferry link arrangements in Penzance.
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Business community calls for end to Option A plans - now 30 sign-ons
13/1/10
Thirty businesses from Penzance have put their name to a letter to Cllr Alec Robertson, Leader of Cornwall Council, asking him to give up on the Council’s plans for building on Battery Rocks beach and instead put his Council’s efforts into developing a popular alternative.
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Campaign continues in 2010
1/1/10
The rejection of plans to build on Battery Rocks beach by the Strategic Planning Committee on December 14th was a nice way to end the year and is of course a cause for celebration, but two important tasks remain for the new year.
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Planning Committee REFUSES application - 669 write to object
14/12/09
The Strategic Planning Committee of Cornwall Council met today in Penzance and after a four hour debate refused planning permission to build on Battery Rocks beach.
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Packed meeting sends clear message to planning committee
10/12/09
Eighteen of the 21 member strategic planning committee that will consider the plans to build on Battery Rocks beach visited Penzance today and were told in no uncertain terms that the residents of Penzance will not accept the development on their historic seafront.
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English Heritage say NO to building on Battery Rocks beach
2/12/09
In their response to the recent Cornwall Council request for listed building consent in respect of Penzance’s historic South Pier, English Heritage have objected to the plans to infill and build on Battery Rocks beach.
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Planning Committee to meet in Penzance on December 10th & 14th
30/11/09
The Strategic Planning Committee that will consider the planning applications to build on Battery Rocks beach will meet in the Guildhall in Penzance at 2pm on Monday 14th December. Objectors are urged to attend.
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“RMV White Elephant” or, why two ships are better than one
23/11/09
Cornwall Council has been telling us for a while that there isn’t time to review their choice of a single ship, but the Council of the Isles of Scilly is now saying that a faster ship operating out of Falmouth might suit them better. Falmouth is not an option, but if there’s time to reopen the choice of ship, then we should do so, because two ships would be better than one for Penzance.
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Deadline for objections extended
19/11/09
The deadline for making objections to the planning applications has been extended to November 30th. This is two weeks before the earliest possible date of the planning committee meeting that will consider the applications. As soon as we have confirmation of when the committee meets we will let you know.
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Out of control Council circumvents normal planning procedures, makes mockery of local democracy
16/11/09
The new unitary Cornwall Council has decided that elected local members will not be allowed to review the Council’s own planning applications for a hugely controversial development on Battery Rocks beach in Penzance.
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Friends ask Secretary of State to “call in” harbour proposals
14/11/09
The Friends of Penzance Harbour have written to John Denham MP, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government asking that he “call in” all the Cornwall Council proposals for Penzance Harbour.
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Packed house hears extraordinary history of pier
13/11/09
Over 200 people crammed into the Ballroom at the Queen's Hotel yesterday evening to hear a leading historic building specialist describe the South Pier of Penzance harbour as one of the most important historic structures in Cornwall.
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Tinner Challenges Planners
12/11/09
The area of the beach and seabed that will covered by the Cornwall Council plan to build a new passenger and freight terminal on Battery Rocks beach has been "claimed and bounded" by a local tinner, and the appropriate authorities have been informed.
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Complaint of maladministration leading to injustice
2/11/09
The Friends of Penzance Harbour have made a formal complaint to Cornwall Council regarding their handling of the Penzance Harbour proposals and in particular the misleading actions and statements made by Council officials in respect of the planning application process.
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New Option A planning applications submitted - YOU MUST OBJECT AGAIN!
28/10/09
Cornwall Council has submitted two new planning applications relating to the development of passenger and freight facilities on Battery Rocks beach: one for raising the new harbour wall and a second for “listed building consent”.
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Option A: two years of hell!
22/10/09
Criticism of the Cornwall Council plan to build on Battery Rocks beach has so far focused on long term impacts, but details are emerging of the scale of disruption and heavy lorry traffic that the town can expect during two years of construction.
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Isles Council continues its bully-boy tactics
16/10/09
In response to the recent public meeting in Penzance, the Council of the Isles of Scilly has passed a motion of no confidence in Andrew George and voted to spend £3500 on a study to look at using Falmouth as an alternative to Penzance.
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Packed public meeting rejects plan to build on Battery Rocks beach
9/10/09
A public meeting hosted tonight by Andrew George MP drew a huge crowd and resulted in a resounding and close to unanimous rejection of the Route Partnership’s plans to build on Battery Rocks beach; just 3 out of the 500 strong audience voted to support the RP scheme.
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New planning battle kicks off
7/10/09
It is now clear that the Harbour Revision Order that was enacted on September 16th gives Cornwall Council and the Route Partnership most of the permissions that they need to build their passenger and freight terminals on Battery Rocks beach. Importantly though they still need to secure Listed Building Consent before any work can commence.
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Offensive remarks a sign of poor judgement
1/10/09
An attack by Graeme Hicks on Andrew George and the residents of Penzance in today’s Western Morning News suggest he is unfit for office and the wrong man to be deciding the future of the Route Partnership’s scheme for Penzance harbour.
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Public Meeting: St John’s Hall, October 9th at 7:30pm
30/9/09
Andrew George has called a public meeting to discuss issues surrounding the Route Partnership’s plans for Penzance harbour and to appraise the public of recent developments. The Friends of Penzance Harbour are urging all who care about the town to attend and make their feelings known.
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Friends launch Fighting Fund to defend historic seafront
29/9/09
The willingness of Cornwall Council to ignore public opinion and the existence of viable, less destructive alternatives, and push ahead with plans to build on Battery Rocks beach has forced the Friends of Penzance Harbour to set up a Fighting Fund to pay for a legal defence of the town’s historic seafront.
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Cornwall Cabinet decision based on biased and misleading information
28/9/09
The Cabinet of Cornwall Council, which contains no Members from the Penzance area, decided on September 16th to allow the resubmission of plans to build on Battery Rocks beach, but the report that councillors used as a basis for their decision was seriously flawed.
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Cabinet to consider resubmission of Battery Rocks planning application
13/9/09
Graeme Hicks, the transport portfolio holder at Cornwall Council will this week ask the Cabinet of Cornwall Council to agree to the resubmission of plans to build on Battery Rocks beach.
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One ship option is NOT cheaper to operate
11/9/09
A new report from the Route Partnership suggests that the proposed larger combined passenger and freight vessel will be cheaper to operate than the existing two-ship system, but an initial review of the report shows that they have got their calculations seriously wrong.
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Alternative options report fudges figures to support original scheme
25/8/09
The Route Partnership have claimed that their report into alternatives to building on Battery Rocks beach supports their original scheme, but their conclusions downplay the advantages of an out of town freight handling depot and ignore the risks associated with their own scheme.
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MP says Route Partnership scheme "politically undeliverable"
25/8/09
Andrew George MP has told the Route Partnership that he believes their proposal to build on Battery Rocks beach is now “politically undeliverable”, and has offered to assist in negotiations with the Shipping Minister and the Department for Transport in case the funding timetable needs to be reviewed.
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Route Partnership plan will harm regeneration in Penzance
24/8/09
Participants attending a recent meeting hosted by Andrew George MP have discussed how the Route Partnership’s plan to build on Battery Rocks beach will harm the future regeneration of the harbour area.
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Public rejects Route Partnership scheme (AGAIN)
20/8/09
A poll in last week’s Cornishman newspaper has shown the public to be two to one against the Route Partnership’s scheme to build on Battery Rocks beach, but this is just the most recent in a series of polls showing overwhelming public opposition to the Route Partnership’s plans for Penzance seafront.
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A reminder of what we stand for...
12/8/09
The Friends of Penzance Harbour are in favour of improvements to the Scilly Link, but against the destructive and financially imprudent approach being taken by the Route Partnership.
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Scilly Link unviable from Falmouth
30/7/09
The Route Partnership are trying to intimidate Penzance residents into accepting their plans to build on Battery Rocks beach by threatening to move the Scilly Link to Falmouth, but the service can only operate successfully from Penzance.
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Route Partnership attempt to undermine local democracy - historic seafront still in danger!
27/7/09
Officers of Cornwall Council - in the guise of the Route Partnership - have launched a new offensive against the wishes of local people and are pressuring newly elected Cornwall councillors to support their discredited scheme to build on Battery Rocks beach. The planning application for this development was withdrawn on June 12th but the Route Partnership is determined to see it reinstated.
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Route Partnership continue to promote development on Battery Rocks beach
7/7/09
The Route Partnership has met with newly elected Cornwall Councillors to try and persuade them to support their old scheme to build on Battery Rocks beach. The meeting took place at the same time as Cornwall Council consultants were preparing a report on alternative options.
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Friends comment on draft Alternative Options Appraisal
5/7/09
The Friends of Penzance Harbour have now seen and commented on a draft of the report on alternatives to the Route Partnership scheme to build on Battery Rocks beach which is being prepared for Cornwall Council by the consultants Halcrow.
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Breakdown of objections published
3/7/09
Cornwall Council planning department has released the final details of the objections it received to the Route Partnership’s planning applications to build on Battery Rocks beach. Perhaps the most publicised planning applications in Penwith's history received 672 letters of objection and just 8 letters of support; that’s a massive 98.8% against!
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Planning application withdrawn
12/6/09
Cornwall Council has withdrawn the Route Partnership’s planning application to build a new freight and passenger facility for the Isles of Scilly Link on Battery Rocks beach. The Friends of Penzance Harbour have welcomed the news and congratulated local people for successfully defending their historic harbour and seafront.
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Cornwall Council move to consider alternatives
19/5/09
A second Andrew George-sponsored meeting between objectors and the Route Partnership has resulted in a move by Cornwall Council to appraise alternatives to building on Battery Rocks beach.
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Route Partnership talk about alternatives
4/5/09
At a meeting brokered by Andrew George MP, the Friends of Penzance Harbour and the Route Partnership have started discussions about alternatives to building on Battery Rocks beach.
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Jubilee Pool association joins fight against harbour development
1/5/09
Members of a voluntary organisation who over the last 20 years have helped to save and preserve one of Cornwall’s most celebrated buildings, the listed art deco Jubilee Pool in Penzance, have voted unanimously to actively campaign against the proposed Route Partnership scheme.
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Planners overwhelmed by objections to Route Partnership plan
22/4/09
Planning officers at Cornwall Council have received more than 650 objections to the Route Partnership’s application to build on Battery Rocks beach, and just one letter of support.
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Planning permission sought for works depot
22/4/09
A planning application has been made to turn the car park at St Anthony’s Gardens into a “construction site compound” to service the Route Partnership’s development at Battery Rocks beach. Objections must be received at Cornwall Council by May 7th. The Town Council will discuss the application on April 30th.
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Time to talk about alternatives
15/4/09
The Friends of Penzance Harbour have welcomed an initiative from Andrew George MP to start talks between objectors and the Route Partnership, but insist that discussions must be about finding the best alternative to the unpopular Route Partnership plans.
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Planning application to be considered on July 7th
9/4/09
Cornwall Council have confirmed that the Route Partnership’s application to build on Battery Rocks beach will be considered for the first time at a meeting of the new “west area” planning sub-committee on July 7th.
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Objections still accepted
26/3/09
The official “deadline” for objecting to the Route Partnership’s planning application to build on Battery Rocks beach passed today, March 26th, but planning officers have told the Friends of Penzance Harbour that objections will be accepted up until a few days before the planning committee meets to consider the applications.
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Object now to stop Battery Rocks beach development
16/3/09
The deadline for objecting to the County Council and Route Partnership’s planning application to build on Battery Rocks beach is March 26th. Anyone can object and all objections are counted, but time is running out.
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English Heritage unhappy with Route Partnership scheme
10/3/09
In a letter to the Department for Transport regarding the Route Partnership’s plans for Penzance harbour English Heritage have said “it is regrettable that the opportunity has not been taken to reassess the proposals and produce an alternative scheme which is less harmful to the historic environment.”
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Harbour development planning notices published today
5/3/09
The planning notices for the Route Partnership's scheme for Penzance harbour have been published in today's Cornishman. The public has until March 26th to object. Click "more" for information on how to help stop the Route Partnership's scheme.
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Route Partnership admits to exhibition photomontage error
4/3/09
In response to a formal complaint from the Friends of Penzance Harbour the Route Partnership has admitted that a key part of their January pre-planning exhibition “was in error”.
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Route Partnership refuses to meet protesters
3/3/09
The Route Partnership has refused a request from Andrew George to allow local protesters to attend a meeting between him and Tim Wood, the Route Partnership Project Director.
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Traffic survey reveals advantages of out-of-town freight depot
2/3/09
A freedom of information request to the traffic department at Cornwall County Council has revealed that an out-of-town freight handling depot would remove over 250 car, van and lorry movements from the harbour area for each sailing of the Gry Maritha freight vessel.
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Route Partnership defy public and submit Battery Rocks planning application
25/2/09
The overwhelming majority of the public are against their plans, Penzance Town Council voted unanimously to oppose them, the Department of Transport are concerned enough to have requested an independent review, and there is no rush since funding for the project is not in danger, yet Liberal Democrats at County Hall have allowed the Route Partnership to push ahead with a planning application! This is an insult to local people, a waste of taxpayer's money, and shows what a sham the "consultation" process has been.
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Department of Transport request review of Route Partnership plans
23/2/09
The Department of Transport, the funders of the proposed Penzance harbour "improvements", have asked the Route Partnership to commission an "independent review" of its proposals for a new larger Scillonian ferry and associated shore-side facilities.
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Friends of Penzance Harbour call on Councils to provide political leadership
19/2/09
In an open letter to the chairmen of Penwith District Council and Cornwall County Council the Friends of Penzance Harbour have called on elected representatives to provide leadership and stop the Route Partnership from proceeding further with their unpopular plans for Penzance harbour.
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Call for Scillonians to look again at Route Partnership plans for the Islands
16/2/09
The Friends of Penzance Harbour have written to the inhabitants of the Isles of Scilly highlighting their concerns about the Route Partnership's plans for Penzance and suggesting that Scillonians too should take time to make sure that what is being planned for Scilly is really in the best interests of the Islands.
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Town Council says "no" to Route Partnership scheme
11/2/09
Penzance Town Council has questioned the location, design, business case and environmental impact of the Route Partnership's scheme for Penzance harbour and agreed to object to the plans.
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Elected representatives must reject Route Partnership plan for Penzance
10/2/09
At the heart of the controversy surrounding the Route Partnership’s plans for Penzance harbour and the adjacent beach by Battery Rocks, is the issue of whether or not the people of Penzance are to have a say in the future development of their town. The Friends of Penzance harbour have written to the Cornishman on this issue and copied the letter to all elected local and Cornwall County Council officials.
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Department of Transport admit there is NO time limit on funding
5/2/09
The Department of Transport has finally gone on the record and dispelled the myth that we must "use or lose" the funding provisionally earmarked for the Route Partnership's harbour development schemes in Penzance and Scilly.
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Friends of Penzance Harbour make formal complaint about exhibition
26/1/09
The Friends of Penzance Harbour have made a formal complaint to Cornwall County Council about their handling of the Route Partnership's recent "pre-planning" exhibition at the Old Vospers Building in Penzance from 19-23rd January.
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Massive opposition to plans for Penzance harbour
23/1/09
A “pre-planning” exhibition exit poll organised by the Friends of Penzance Harbour has shown that Cornwall County Council’s week-long attempt to win over the people of Penzance to their harbour development scheme has failed. Eighty five (85) percent of those questioned said they did not support the proposals.
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