NEWS
Missing Coast Path link restored
After a four year hiatus, last week saw the re-opening of the Charlestown to Duporth footpath.
The route closed in 2007 when coastal cliff erosion made it too dangerous for ramblers and visitors to use.
The route between has now reopened, courtesy of funding from Cornwall Council, the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) and the South West Coast Path Association.
Steve Church, from the South West Coast Path Association, said: “This donation of £20,000 is the largest that we have made and reflects the importance that our many members place on having a great coast path, close to the sea, that everyone can enjoy. Our donation was a vital factor in attracting the European funding through the RDPE.”
John Oxenham, Cornwall Council member for St Austell Bay, added: “The loss of this small length of coast path meant a great many people were denied access to this beautiful section of our coastline, and once the newly diverted section settles in this path will be a delight to use.
“I must also thank both Dr Bill Leach and Julie Larter, St Austell Bay Parish Chairman and Clerk respectively, for their tireless efforts in keeping this issue very much to the fore over the past (almost) four years, and for the co-operation of the householders whose land has been affected by the new line of the path.”...
Crowds surge for stargazing
BBC 2’s flagship Astronomy show Stargazing Live, fronted by Professor Brian Cox and Irish funnyman Dara O’Briain, hooked up with the Eden Project last week as the domed wonderland became Cornwall’s largest free observatory for the night.
The project expected 800 visitors — that limit was blown before 6pm. In fact, gates were closed after more than 3,000 turned up, leaving hundreds more disappointed that they couldn’t get into the free celestial showpiece. With traffic queues forming the host venue was unable to cope with the influx as it reached its peak.
However, the ones that weren’t lucky enough to get in didn’t really miss too much on the sky front. The freezing conditions that had prevailed over the weekend relented, giving way to a warm muggy night that unfortunately brought with it a blanket of low cloud cover, much to the chagrin of top local astronomer Brian Sheen, who co-ordinated the event.
The occasional parting of the clouds allowed the odd tantalising glimpse of stars here and there, but for the majority it was time to head inside and see the spectacular array of state of the art visual displays and even a mobile planetarium inside the domes.
A great event that, despite having less than ideal conditions, still provided entertainment on a cosmic scale....
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Cup progress for St Austell
sT AUSTELL are through to the last eight of the Westinsure Cornwall Senior Cup after a single-goal success against local rivals St Dennis this weekend.
Jake Hartigan’s 52nd minute free-kick was enough to separate the two sides and allow for the lillywhites to book their place in the quarter-finals ahead of tomorrow evening’s cup draw.
Joint-manager Gary Penhaligon was delighted to see his team progress into the last eight of the competition and he told the Voice: “It was a good case of job done. We are a lot more solid nowadays and a 1-0 win was pleasing.
“It was only 1-0 but it could have been a lot more.
“It’s good to be in the next round of the competition and it’s going to be tough whoever we play in the next round. It’ll be nice to get a home draw and perhaps we can move it forward to a Friday night.”
This Friday night, St Austell will stage their first ever home game under lights as reigning champions Buckland Athletic visit Poltair for the first games since the club’s new floodlights were installed earlier this month....
Decision day on council offices
St Austell’s Council Offices look set for a future as a retail development as Cornwall Council’s Cabinet consider the outcome of feasibility work for the sale of the Penwinnick Offices today.
In March 2011 the possible sale of the offices first came to light when it was revealed that developer Broadley Park Properties had made an offer for part of the site. The news spurred Cornwall Council into considering the future of the site in their wider office vision.
In September 2011 the council appointed Terrace Hill Properties Limited as the preferred bidder for the site, after they proposed a retail development on the site of the main offices, and the developers were given three months to provide a more detailed proposal.
At today’s meeting the Cabinet will consider the recommendations that have been put forward including that part of the site is declared surplus to requirements and the land is disposed to Terrace Hill Properties Limited.
New offices for all of the staff currently situated at the Penwinnick offices — and at the Sedgemoor site — are also proposed on the site to replace those taken up in the development, with money from the sale used to finance the new build.
The recommendations include the need for Terrace Hill to gain planning consent for the site within 18 months and Cornwall Council gaining planning consent for the office development also on the site within 18 months....
Council debate plan review
It has been recommended that a document which provides a planning policy for St Austell, St Blazey and the China Clay Area should not be used in the decision making process following the threat of a judicial review.
The St Austell, St Blazey and China Clay Area Regeneration plan was adopted by Cornwall Council’s Cabinet in July 2011 but goes back to the Cabinet today after a pre-action protocol letter, indicating an intention to challenge the plan in the High Court, was received.
The challenge alleged that the plan sought to provide policy in support of development only in the China Clay area ahead of the core strategy. It also alleges that the Council’s Strategic Environmental Assessment/Sustainability Assessment (SEA/SA) is inadequate.
The Council have denied both accusations and said they would defend the claim if it were pursued.
The Council did, however, decide to review the plan, particularly in light of the subsequrnt publication of the Government’s draft National Planning Policy Framework....
