£170 million regeneration project for Truro city centre is put on hold
A decision on the proposals for hundreds of new homes, a university centre, hotel, shops and restaurants won't be made until at least May
Last updated 10th Feb 2021
A major £170million regeneration project for Truro City Centre will be put on hold until after the local elections in May.
The Pydar Street regeneration scheme suffered a major setback last week when Cornwall Council's strategic planning committee voted to refuse outline planning permission.
Under the proposals 320 new homes, up to 400 student bed spaces, a university centre, employment space, a hotel, shops, restaurants and bars would have been built.
The ambitious project was being led by Cornwall Council and would have transformed the site which is currently home to the former Carrick District Council offices, Viaduct car park and various commercial buildings.
However councillors refused to grant planning permission due to concerns about the size and scale of the development and the loss of hundreds of parking spaces.
There were concerns that the new development – which would include buildings six storeys high – would be overbearing and out of keeping with the historic city centre.
It has now been revealed that the plans will not come back for a decision before the local elections on May 6th and that any decision will be for the newly elected council to take.
There are also concerns that the delay and planning permission refusal could have an impact on Truro's Town Deal bid.
One of the elements of the Pydar Street scheme - The Hive, which was set to be a centre for Falmouth University - has been included in the Town Deal Bid.
Linda Taylor, leader of the Conservative group at County Hall, claimed that the council and the Cabinet had "assumed" that planning permission would have been granted.
A report on the project had been on the agenda for Wednesday's meeting of the Cabinet and explained the process which would happen following the determination of the planning application including detailed design work and negotiations with future occupiers of the development.
Cllr Taylor said that it was "absolute arrogance" adding: "They could not have been listening to the people of Truro and certainly not listening to the elected members in Truro".
She said: "The planning application has now gone out into the long grass and put back until May.
"There were real issues being raised about this planning application about the scale of it and the parking provision.
"It is absolute arrogance that this administration were not listening to those concerns that were being raised and chose to plough on".
Councillor Linda Taylor