Pendennis Headland, Ships and Castles Falmouth decision made

At a meeting of Cornwall Council’s cabinet this morning, members agreed to devolve Pendennis Headland, including the former Ships and Castles site, to Falmouth Town Council on March 31.

Ships and Castles has been closed since March (Image: Paul Armstrong)

The council will then hand the closed pool to Pendennis Leisure for a peppercorn rent to reopen it for the community of Falmouth.

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Decision made on whether to hand over Falmouth headland to town council

Following the decision, Pendennis Leisure congratulated the town council on securing the offer from Cornwall Council.

“[We] are very grateful for their commitment to help Pendennis Leisure CIC realise our ambition to protect the Ships site for community leisure,” they said.

“We are grateful to our community , to local activists and to the politicians who’ve worked so hard to keep the pressure on Cornwall Council to do the right thing… and we are over the moon the Cornwall Council seemed to have listened and are now returning the site to the people of Falmouth.”

They also posted a video thanking everybody for their support.

Seconding the motion to devolve the site to the town council this morning Councillor Martyn Alvey, Portfolio holder for Environment and Climate Change, said he was very aware of the affection the headland is held by the residents of Falmouth.

“I think this both the right and the proper solution to what has been a bit of a saga,” he said.

“The town council obviously has a far closer relationship with the residents of Falmouth than Cornwall Council and so any future action on the headland with the agreement of the town council can only be best for the town.

“So I am delighted they are going to continue to work with Pendennis Leisure in the hope that they can get the Ships and Castles open again for the residents. That would be amazing if it can happen.”

Cllr Alan Jewell raised concerns about the car park (Image: Paul Armstrong)

Falmouth town and county councillor Cllr Alan Jewell raised a concern over whether the site would be vacant when it was handed over on March 31 as there were vans parked there “illegally”.

He was told it would be and nobody would be on the car park at the point of takeover.

Falmouth county councillor and Labour group leader Cllr Jayne Kirkham said the decision was a “brilliant” thing for the people of Falmouth.

“We are all really pleased in Falmouth that it has come to this conclusion through and awful lot of cooperation and meetings,” she said.

“Cornwall Council officers have been fabulous. Our chair of F&GP Jude Robinson and town clerk Mark Williams have also been really, really good and have gone through a lot of work to get to this point.

“It’s a big deal for the people of Falmouth to take on Pendennis Headland which will now be theirs for posterity. I’m sure I can speak for many people in the town when I say this is a brilliant thing and we are very pleased that it has finally got to this stage and will be going through.”

Pendennis Leisure hope to install a 25m pool at the site (Image: Paul Armstrong)

Cllr David Saunby told the meeting he had every confidence in Falmouth Town Council taking on the headland and also that Pendennis Leisure would make a good go of it to try and reopen the leisure centre for everybody to enjoy.

“I feel confident that the town council are able to manage the site correctly and take it on for the people of Falmouth,” he said.

Before the final vote was made Deputy Leader Cllr David Harris said: “There’s a key evident point here that’s worth making, teamwork gets things done. Thank you all.”

Posting on her Facebook page immediately after the decision was made, Falmouth and Truro MP Cherilyn Mackrory said the decision was a “brilliant outcome”.

“This is exactly what the community in Falmouth and Penryn have been asking for and is such good news,” she said.

“This means that Falmouth Town Council can now continue to work with Pendennis Leisure to try and get Ships and Castles re-opened.

“A truly brilliant outcome and one I have been pleased to have been involved with.”

Falmouth Town Council have been asked for a reaction.