Pendennis Headland, Falmouth council bans residential use

At a meeting of Falmouth Town Council on Monday night councillors voted to back Cllr Jude Robinson’s motion concerning Pendennis Headland.

The motion read that: “In proceeding to the agreed next stage of the devolution process for Pendennis Headland, including the Ships and Castles site, the council acknowledges that there is great potential to improve access for Falmouth residents to the natural environment and to historic, educational and leisure activities, on appropriate areas of the devolved headland.”

It goes on to say that the council does not support residential uses on any site to be devolved, whether that is housing, mobile homes, vans, tents or other occupation of land.

The Ships and Castles car park is currently home to a number of van dwellers but Cornwall Council has promised that they will have them removed by the time the handover takes place on March 31.

However an amendment proposed by Cllr Jayne Kirkham was also accepted that the town council has already acknowledged there is a housing crisis and support efforts to find short term sites in Cornwall Council car parks.

Her amendments said it accepts there can be no residential use of any of the site to be devolved but: “We support Cllr [Laurie] Magowan and Cllr Kirkham's motion to Cornwall Council for alternative provision to be provided for van dwellers.

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“We would also support the provision of ‘Aire’ style short-term sites on suitable Cornwall Council carparks or in the privately rented Swanpool carpark.”

However the reference to Swanpool car park was removed and changed to "privately rented car parks" after Cllr Laurie Magowan questioned why the Swanpool site was mentioned above any other.

Cllr Kirkham said it had been put in as it had been mentioned as a possible site, but was happy to have it removed.