Controversial Falmouth University expansion plan gets green light

11:30am Wednesday 16th January 2013 in News

Residents living around the campus, particularly in Melvill Crescent, Trelawney Avenue and Foxes Lane, had objected to the proposals Residents living around the campus, particularly in Melvill Crescent, Trelawney Avenue and Foxes Lane, had objected to the proposals

CONTROVERSIAL plans to extend the faculty of graphics at Falmouth University’s Woodlane campus were conditionally approved by Cornwall Council this week.

Several residents living around the campus, particularly in Melvill Crescent, Trelawney Avenue and Foxes Lane, had objected to the proposals for a first floor extension and new foyer to the existing building.

The university claims there is a particular shortage of space for the existing graphic design and illustration students who are forced to share desks and studio space.

The new extension will create new space for existing students and up to 28 new students in a dedicated graphic design centre.

Cornwall Council agreed to grant approval after considering a report by case officer Nigel Brabyn.

He told councillors: “Despite receiving strong objections from Falmouth Town Council and the occupiers of neighbouring properties with regard to highway safety, lack of parking, over-development of the site, detrimental impact on neighbours and its impact on the Falmouth Conservation Area, it is adjudged that subject to the imposition of specific planning conditions relating to the provision of necessary boundary treatment/landscaping and the control of external lighting to protect the amenities currently enjoyed by neighbouring properties, the proposal is considered acceptable.”

Related links below:

Uni expansion bid, 'enough is enough' says Falmouth town council

Objectors dumbfounded at new university expansion bid

What one Packet reader said

Comments(32)

ucsweb says...
7:56am Wed 16 Jan 13

As usual the objectors who have to live with this are ignored.
The uni always gets whatever it wants no matter the cost to Falmouth and Penryn.

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Poldark says...
8:59am Wed 16 Jan 13

I agree what the university wants , the university gets,

The planning officers and inspectors seem to be on a mission to ignore the Falmouth residents concerns...

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Alistair Campbell says...
11:36am Wed 16 Jan 13

As always the planning officers will do anything the County council tell them ,to keep their jobs and yes both Varney and Eva are not interested in the concerns of the residents who voted them in and Varney is the main man on the planning , In May make sure we vote this man out of office

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Poldark says...
12:33pm Wed 16 Jan 13

I believe he is not standing again , although Eva is forsaking the Arwenack ward where he has been their CC for four years, and supposidly standing in the Boslowick w.ard .

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GrahamHarris says...
1:26pm Wed 16 Jan 13

A touch of the old Animal Farm here.

The Uni has opinions, the local neighbours have opinions.

All views are equal, but some views are more equal than others!!!

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titanium says...
1:49pm Wed 16 Jan 13

Why not relocate the Art College up to Tremough, and have everything under one roof as it were ?.

The land could then be used for housing.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
2:28pm Wed 16 Jan 13

Poldark wrote:
I believe he is not standing again , although Eva is forsaking the Arwenack ward where he has been their CC for four years, and supposidly standing in the Boslowick w.ard .
That's a problem for you because ?

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
2:30pm Wed 16 Jan 13

titanium wrote:
Why not relocate the Art College up to Tremough, and have everything under one roof as it were ?.

The land could then be used for housing.
Now that, is a very good idea.

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victoriameldrew says...
2:59pm Wed 16 Jan 13

Alistair Campbell wrote:
As always the planning officers will do anything the County council tell them ,to keep their jobs and yes both Varney and Eva are not interested in the concerns of the residents who voted them in and Varney is the main man on the planning , In May make sure we vote this man out of office
hear hear - not a great fan of this man - just knew this planning applocation would get through in the end. Now look out for the new houses planning to be built on Bickland Water road being passed

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victoriameldrew says...
3:08pm Wed 16 Jan 13

Poldark wrote:
I believe he is not standing again , although Eva is forsaking the Arwenack ward where he has been their CC for four years, and supposidly standing in the Boslowick w.ard .
shant be voting for him either!!

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Lanty Slee says...
9:17pm Wed 16 Jan 13

It seems Cornwall Council's obsession with nurturing a Cornish university doesn't stop when a Cornish institution is awarded university status. (Falmouth).

This reckless program of university appeasement will not end well for the communities impacted.

And let us not forget, in these times of tight budgets and empty pockets - students pay NO council tax.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
7:46am Thu 17 Jan 13

Obviously it would never happen but it would be interesting to see what the council would do about council tax and services if everyone except the students moved out of Falmouth and Penryn.

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Poldark says...
8:46am Thu 17 Jan 13

No Problem for me, May 2013 will sort them out l however, reading these comments seems it seems I am not the only one who has grave concerns regarding the buildings going up in Falmouth, ir regardless of the locals complaints
.
As for the building of those 300 homes I would be very surprised if they refuse them , Falmouth and Budock are just one big buildng plot to these councillors and they have until May to push it all through
..
Falmouth will soon be concreted over and tourists won't recognise the place Swanpool is fast disappearing.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
2:40pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Falmouth is not the only place being concreted over it is happening all over Cornwall. I believe the only new build projects that should even be considered are those that include a large percentage for local needs. Where they are not concreting they are installing solar farms and wind farms.
I am surprised the university has not applied to install windmills and solar panels on the roof of its proposed extension. Looking at the design of it I would imagine with all that glass it will get hot in there so they will need to screen it with shrubs for shade. The design to me looks more suitable for a car showroom., or a cannabis plantation.

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molesworth says...
3:36pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Yep. It'll be a cannabis plantation. That's students for you. Let's get them out of Falmouth and build more old peoples' homes in the old Fox graden (which was left in perpetuity to Falmouth Arts School). Falmouth needs to get old and boring then we'd have nothing to moan about...

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
3:45pm Thu 17 Jan 13

My comment was not aimed at the students, it was simply what the design of the building struck me as being useful for. I am not anti student, I am however anti big nwe build housing estates unless they are for local needs.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
4:09pm Thu 17 Jan 13

new not nwe

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Poldark says...
11:46am Fri 18 Jan 13

Molesworth, Falmouth was a fascinating and bustling place to live never boring , as it is now with drunks all over the town on a Saturday night .
Pubs were great then so was the entertainment, students only pass through this great little town they don't care as it's only a phase in their lives

We locals are permanent and deserve to have our opinions listened to also.

what would you suggest we do with the elderly? shoot them?

They paid their taxes unlike a vast majority, they deserve to be looked after.

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molesworth says...
1:18pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Poldark, you say we have more than enough students. I say we have more than enough old folk. What I take exception to is blaming students for things they don't do and things they can't be blamed for. If it's non-paying of council tax it's not their fault. It's whoever makes that policy. If it's violence it's never their fault. If it's thieving I can't think of an instance when it's been their fault.
Also, I grew up in Falmouth and in the 60s and 70s there was far more drunken violence on a Friday and Saturday night back then, when there were hardly any students about. That is a fact.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
3:24pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Poldark wrote:
Molesworth, Falmouth was a fascinating and bustling place to live never boring , as it is now with drunks all over the town on a Saturday night .
Pubs were great then so was the entertainment, students only pass through this great little town they don't care as it's only a phase in their lives

We locals are permanent and deserve to have our opinions listened to also.

what would you suggest we do with the elderly? shoot them?

They paid their taxes unlike a vast majority, they deserve to be looked after.
A good many towns have drunks at night, particularly Fri and Sat nights, they are however not all students. In fact all the noisy drunks that used to pass by at night where I recently moved from were in their forties or fifties or older.
You do have your opinions listened to, it is just that in life not everything works out to your advantage the way you want it. I have my opinions listened to but nobody takes any notice though but I live with it. On the four occasions in the past that I was assaulted it was by men that were not drunk and in their 30s or 40s not students.
Students will have to pay their taxes eventually and no doubt some of those with parents or guardians currently pay theirs. Incidentally I am very fond of elderly people, most of them are interesting to listen to.

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Lanty Slee says...
11:39pm Sun 20 Jan 13

What's called for here is some direct action.

Preferably in the form of a flaming paper bag full of dog mess on the decision maker's doorstep.

That would be my humble suggestion, anyway.

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Poldark says...
11:24am Mon 21 Jan 13

We certainly didn't have the need for street pastors or taxi marshalls in those times, Falmouth was a town where all ages went out at night,.familes etc, not now, as for old people as I said what's your solution euthansia?

Everyone grows old, why should they move aside? their money and rates went into Falmouth during their working lives.

They also deserve a bit ofconsideration whether their working life is ended or not.


I suggest that it's time to consider that either the landlords or the students pay the council tax that working people have to pay they don't have a choice!!
.
That will take the burden of of those who pay it twice once , through CCC and secondly through central government [who take their other taxes} to pay the county for the students non payment of council tax., after all we are all in this together are we not?

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
11:59am Mon 21 Jan 13

Poldark wrote:
We certainly didn't have the need for street pastors or taxi marshalls in those times, Falmouth was a town where all ages went out at night,.familes etc, not now, as for old people as I said what's your solution euthansia?

Everyone grows old, why should they move aside? their money and rates went into Falmouth during their working lives.

They also deserve a bit ofconsideration whether their working life is ended or not.


I suggest that it's time to consider that either the landlords or the students pay the council tax that working people have to pay they don't have a choice!!
.
That will take the burden of of those who pay it twice once , through CCC and secondly through central government
I actually agree with you. I think it is time to introduce council tax for the landlords to pay. After all the properties are still served by the council with services such as rubbish collection, recycling etc.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
1:34pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Poldark wrote:
We certainly didn't have the need for street pastors or taxi marshalls in those times, Falmouth was a town where all ages went out at night,.familes etc, not now, as for old people as I said what's your solution euthansia?

Everyone grows old, why should they move aside? their money and rates went into Falmouth during their working lives.

They also deserve a bit ofconsideration whether their working life is ended or not.


I suggest that it's time to consider that either the landlords or the students pay the council tax that working people have to pay they don't have a choice!!
.
That will take the burden of of those who pay it twice once , through CCC and secondly through central government
I am afraid I will have to retract my last comment as apparently all business rates go to the government and the government reimburse Cornwall Council a percentage of the council tax for student occupied properties at present, where as if Cornwall Council were to charge landlords business rates then all the money would go to central government and there would be no reimbursement, therefore it would likely result in an increase in council tax for everyone to cover the lost revenue. Council tax regulations are set by the government not the council.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
3:27pm Mon 21 Jan 13

Incidentally you say Falmouth was a town where all ages went out at night, they still do, if you go out at night you will see, if you don't go out at night then you won't see so you wouldn't know anyway.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
3:33pm Mon 21 Jan 13

I believe the fear of crime is greater than the actual crime levels. If families do not go out together quite so much, then that is a sign of the times, where young people tend to spend more time within their peer groups. I would not want my son or daughter to go out with me all the time, they would probably expect me to pay for all the drinks anyway, and I am certainly not going clubbing.

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Lanty Slee says...
1:20am Tue 22 Jan 13

I still think the flaming bag of dog poo is the best idea.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
6:57am Tue 22 Jan 13

The university had to go somewhere, it is there and as such obviously wants to provide the best facilities for its students. It does bring certain benefits to the town.
Residents do not want an incinerator in St Dennis, some people do like the idea of a proposed stadium on their doorstep, and I personally don't particularly want travellers in the Poldhu car park or flags and a statue in Porthleven. I additionally did not want houses built opposite me that were going to infringe on my privacy and create extra vehicle use on an unadopted road. Buildings are being given planning permission all over Cornwall, some residents have objected all over Cornwall but the end result is that a good percentage of things objected to go ahead anyway, and although this may not suit some people, it obviously suits others, so who is to say who is right and who is wrong. If someone objects that badly to the university in Falmouth then I suggest they move out of Falmouth, I would quite happily live in Falmouth or Penryn but cannot afford to so.

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ucsweb says...
11:12am Tue 22 Jan 13

I am still trying to find out what the "benefits" to Falmouth and Penryn are.
Why should I move out of Falmouth? I have lived here all my life (over fifty years), should I really have to move out, because the people that have the power to protect Falmouth and its residents do not care?
I work here and so does my wife, we live within walking distance of most of our family. Why should I put up with being over-run by temporary residents?

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
11:40am Tue 22 Jan 13

No one is saying you have to move, it is an option if you are not happy where you are. Why should I have had to move because I did not want two imposing 3 bed houses opposite me to be built for profit not local needs, when I lived in a road consisting of only 2 bed bungalows and the houses would be infringing on my privacy, and in my opinion an overdevelopment of the plot which currently has only one bungalow on it, and I did not want the added vehicle congestion in a one car width road, the fact is I did move because I wanted to change my situation.

It is not a case of those who have the power not caring about protecting Falmouth and its residents, the fact remains the university is already there and the university has a right to do what is best for their future. If they do not keep up with available facilities that other universities benefit from then eventually as a university they could fail and Cornwall will once again be behind other counties with facilities, Cornwall already lacks a stadium.
Even if Cornwall Council were to refuse planning permission the likely hood is that it would go to appeal, the university would win and all that would have been achieved is that Cornwall Council would be financially worse off. I am not saying that you shouldn't fight against something just because of the cost but you have to weigh up the pros and cons. The government are all for universities and their progression.

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Gill Zella Martin 09 says...
11:55am Tue 22 Jan 13

Incidentally you say why should you put up with being over-run by temporary residents, is that not what happens in nearly every village and town during the tourist season in Cornwall, I can't find a parking space at my local beach in season, I can't get a table for a meal in the pub, the water pressure drops, the electricity pressure drops, etc, that is life, we have to share and that is what happens in a county that relies heavily on tourism trade, and students are what happens in a town with a university. Falmouth has a university. If a minority of students cause any unnecessary problems then make the effort, go down the right channels and get it sorted. As for those students that are well behaved then maybe people should remember they are our future generation and have as much right to be here as any of us. It just needs a little respect and understanding on both sides. Not all young people that cause problems are students and not all people that cause problems are young people.

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student0 says...
6:46pm Thu 31 Jan 13

As a student, I'd like to say that I feel really sad that the residents feel this way. I can completely understand your frustration with our University and it's growth but I think it's a real shame how all 'students' are tarred with the same brush. I certainly do not like making the residents feel this way and I'm sorry that you do. There are students, like me, and many I know, that truly respect Falmouth and it's residents. I just wanted to say that we aren't intentionally trying to attack you or the place you live, we don't like that you "put up" with us and we're not trying to over run anything. There are some students out there who simply want to learn and Falmouth is a beautiful place to do so.

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