Cornwall Council set to sell off Launceston car parks

Cornwall Council has put the Cattle Market car parks in Launceston up for sale.

The authority is trying to sell the site to a supermarket and claims that this site is 'sequentially preferable' to any others around the town. They don't say so directly, but it is clear that they mean the Link Road site which is the subject of a Morrisons application.

I have a number of problems with this proposal:

1. The council has not bothered to consult with local residents, the town council, the chamber of commerce or formally with local councillors. I had an informal chat with one officer over the phone and I told him I thought this was a joke. I know that Sasha Gillard-Loft, the councillor for the area including these car parks has also said she thinks it is a bad idea. Yet again this seems like a few people sitting in the top floor bunker of County Hall dictating what they think is best for the whole of Cornwall. It is Stalinist central planning at its worst.
2. I don't see how a supermarket on the site would work. The council admits that access via Race Hill is very difficult and suggests that an alternative would need to be provided. The only option appears to be via a direct exit into the middle of Prouts Corner - which seems bonkers.
3. Any scheme would be likely to lose car parking spaces in the town. Although the marketing document suggests that the re-provision of parking spaces would be needed, there is no requirement for these and no suggestion of how many might be required. The scoring scheme on which the bids will be judged says that only 10% of the marks will be given to design issues (presumably including parking spaces). There might be a few empty spaces in these car parks at the moment but there is no way that the town could afford to lose them altogether. And what would happen during the construction phase when they would be lost entirely?

I accept that there might be different views on this issue. That is why I have asked the council to put this whole idea on hold until they have formally consulted with local residents and organisations and held a public meeting in the town.

You can read the council's marketing brochure below:

   Race Hill Car Parks marketing brochure by  

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