Cornwall Council writes to government supporting Penzance sea link
9:41am Monday 17th September 2012 in News
Cornwall Council has written to the Department for Transport confirming its commitment to help secure the vital sea link between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly.
The authority is offering to promote the first phase of the works to dredge Penzance Harbour and lengthen the quay at St Mary’s.
In the letter to a senior official from the Department for Transport, Cornwall Council chief executive Kevin Lavery outlines the council’s position over the proposed improvements to the two harbours and says that the authority is willing to promote the measures put forward by the Council of the Isles of Scilly at St Mary’s Harbour and a Penzance Harbour scheme which incorporates the dredging of the access to the harbour and rock armour to the South Pier and Lighthouse Quay.
“These measures will provide more deep water mooring, enhanced protection to the vessel berths and increase the flexibility to accommodate vessels at a greater range of tidal conditions” said Mr Lavery.
“This last aspect is particularly important because the Steamship Company has stated that it is leaving all options open for the type and number of vessels it might adopt when the time comes to replace the Scillonian III and Gry Maritha.”
“While we share the commitment of Penzance Town Council to maintain the sea link, their wider scheme would require a fresh Harbour Revision Order which could not be obtained within the deadline for European funding. The revised proposal for Penzance harbour will meet the Secretary of State’s requirements for a simpler, more cost effective scheme as it significantly reduces the capital costs and, by limiting the works to those necessary to maintain the sea link to the Isles of Scilly, it can be delivered within the existing planning consents.”
Adding that these works would not prevent the wider regeneration measures being carried out in the future, Mr Lavery said that Cornwall Council would continue to work with the town council and other partners about how to achieve this.
