Huge development in Truro city centre due for decision next week
The £170m Pydar Regeneration Scheme includes hundreds of new homes, a hotel, restaurants and shops
Last updated 15th Sep 2021
A £170 million scheme to redevelop a major part of Truro city centre with homes, a university centre, community buildings, hotel, restaurants and shops will go before councillors for a decision next week.
Cornwall Council has submitted the outline planning application for the Pydar Regeneration Scheme which would see hundreds of homes, student accommodation and mixed use development built in the centre of Truro.
The project would be created on the site which is currently home to the former Carrick District Council offices, viaduct car park and several shops and other units.
An extraordinary meeting of Cornwall Council’s strategic planning committee next Thursday (September 23rd) will decide whether to grant planning permission for the scheme.
It will be the second time the plans have gone before councillors, in February the committee agreed to refuse planning permission due to concerns about the scale and design of the development as well as a loss of parking spaces in the city.
As a result the council went back to the plans and has made changes to reduce the height of the buildings planned and has also agreed to retain Moresk car park, which has 118 spaces, for a period of three years as part of the phased development.
Under the proposals 320 homes would be built on the site with 35% (112) being affordable – there would also be up to 400 student bed spaces.
One of the key parts of the development will be The Hive, which will provide a new centre for Falmouth University and be a hub for screen and digital sectors. It is designed to provide educational, employment and business opportunities.
To reduce the height the non-residential use of the site has been cut by 21% – overall retail will account for less than 2% of the site, with workspace and leisure taking 10%.
The planning report going to the committee explains that there is a need for the homes planned on the site – when the application was last considered by councillors there was a need for 440 homes in that area which has since increased to 651.
Planning officers, who recommend that the plans be approved, state: "The development would provide benefits in terms of contributing to housing supply, including the provision of much-needed affordable homes to meet an identified need".
And they add: "In addition, the scheme will deliver open market homes and student accommodation, supporting local services over the lifetime of the development. It also seeks to open up the River Allen as a space to be enjoyed by the community and economic benefits from the construction phase.
"Moreover, the proposals include up to 16,500sqm of floor space to include leisure, office, hotel, community, small retail, education/innovation and food and beverage units that will provide economic and social benefits. This is a significant reduction from the 21,000sqm of non-residential floorspace previously proposed.
"The site is in a highly sustainable location within the City of Truro, within easy walking distance of a range of services and facilities. The proposal would deliver on a brownfield site that holds limited visual or social economic value and for these reasons is identified for redevelopment within the Truro and Kenwyn Neighbourhood Development Plan".
The plans have been subject to a number of consultation events in Truro and have also been supported by Truro City Council.
Cornwall Council’s strategic planning committee will meet next Thursday (September 23rd) to discuss the plans.
The meeting will be held at County Hall in Truro and members of the public can watch live online via Cornwall Council's website.