Sale of “green space” with views over Falmouth withdrawn

The land on Vernon Place in Falmouth was due to go up for auction on April 29, but following requests from residents of the road it was moved to July to give them time to raise funds to buy it.

However following protests about the sale at the weekend Cornwall Council told the Packet this morning that the site had been withdrawn from auction.

Cleaner 'over the moon' after people club together to buy him new electric bike (Image: Supplied)

It is not clear whether it means the council is just not selling the land at all or whether it will be offered exclusively to the residents to buy. At the moment Cornwall Council says it has just been withdrawn from auction and no long term plans for site.

The news has been welcomed by one of the organisers of the protest David Williams.

He said: "We are all delighted the land has been withdrawn from the auction. We're also very grateful to the councillors that supported us and to the Council officers for listening to their community.

"We're really hopeful that the council will engage with us and find a long term solution which could help the council and the community.

"Having read the reported council comments We're heading in the right direction but not quite there yet. The council say they have no firm plans for the land. We think they should have a firm plan..... to sell/lease or give it to the community.

"If the council would work with us towards that aim, we could take over the maintenance, cutting the grass and gardening for example. We would also work with the council to find a solution to the collapsing wall and can call on a lot of community resource, engineers, designers and labour that the council would otherwise have to pay for.

"I'm really hopeful we can reach a lasting solution that works for everyone and incredibly proud of what our little community has achieved in such a short time.

Cornwall and town councillor for the area Jayne Kirkham who had supported the protestors told the Packet it was a welcome example of the council listening to communities: “From my point of view, I've spoken to Mr Williams and the CIC are very pleased with the news, as am I. It's a welcome example of listening to the communities the council serves and compromise.”

The space has spectacular views across the harbour (Image: Supplied)

“The CIC have also offered to take on maintenance and gardening of the space on the basis that it can be used for the community and offered any help they can give with the walls on the plot which need urgent repair.”

People living in Vernon Place were shocked to discover that a grassy area, which had been used by the community for decades, was being put up for auction by Cornwall Council on April 29.

READ NEXT:

Cleaner 'over the moon' after people club together to buy him new electric bike

Following an appeal to Cornwall Council to take the strip of land off the market so they could raise the money to buy it, the council moved the auction to July, but said it would not take it off the market.

On Sunday more than 30 residents gathered at the site to raise awareness of the situation and appeal to the council to change their mind.

They say they have raised some money so they can pay a fair price on the basis of an independent valuation and are happy to sign a covenant to agree that it should stay as community space.

One of the organisers of the protest David Williams said that the residents were totally uninformed about the sale until the sign went up a week ago.

He said the original auction date left the group on the back foot to get organised.

He said many of our group, including him, have pledged funds to buy the land via a community interest company and are open to finding a way to give fair value for it.