Packed meeting sends clear message to planning committee
10/12/09Eighteen 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.
Supporters of less destructive alternatives to building on Battery Rocks beach turned up in force and packed the Acorn Theatre upstairs and down (capacity c. 200). The much touted “silent majority” failed to materialise and again Cornwall Council were shown that the overwhelming majority of Penzance residents do not want their destructive scheme.
The meeting went smoothly. After presentations by the planning authority (Cornwall Council) and the developer (Cornwall Council), residents who had previously been issued with tickets were given the opportunity to speak. As on previous occasions those contributions were marked by their strength of feeling, common sense and quality of argument. All who wanted to had a chance to speak and only one person spoke in support of the development.
Thanks go to Neil Plummer, the Chairman of the committee for organising the meeting, other council Members for having the decency to attend (the missing three sent their apologies), and of course the public for their essential and invaluable contribution.
The only regret is the Council’s decision not to allow radio and television broadcasts from within the meeting, and their engagement of totally unnecessary security guards.
The strategic planning committee meeting that will formally consider the planning applications will take place on Monday 14th December at The Guildhall, Penzance at 2:00pm.
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