RESIDENTS of Launceston again last week gave their views to town councillors on potential housing and a new link road.

Following Launceston Town Council’s planning committee meeting, the full council meeting last Tuesday again discussed the potential for housing in the Newport area of town.

The planning committee meeting on March 10 heard allocating land for housing through a site allocations development plan document (DPD) would enable the building of a Kensey Valley Link Road, should a developer come forward to build there.

But it was stressed there are no planning applications lodged for the area.

Cornwall Council is looking at allocating the land for housing through the site allocations DPD, which will form part of its suite of planning documents under the umbrella of its Local Plan, looks at allocating sites for housing and employment, as well as protecting existing employment sites.

At last week’s full town council meeting, resident Nick Toulson said residents at Kensey Valley would not have ‘an improving quality of life’ if the link road was built.

He said: “The roads at Kensey Valley Meadow were only built with light goods vehicles in mind. The proposed link road will split Kensey Valley Meadow in half. It also increases the potential of flooding.

“Who is going to want to visit a concrete jungle?”

Cllr Rob Tremain, chair of the planning and economic development committee, said there was a public consultation in 1997, which included a two-day public meeting. The outcome of that consultation, he said, was that 75% of residents ‘were in favour of the Kensey Valley Link Road’.

He said he wished to see light industry, information technology, and even possibly a health centre at Newport, adding: “Newport is an ideal location in the centre of the town for employment.

“I can personally go with an extension of Kensey Valley housing estate plus a play area. This is just giving Cornwall Council a box to say that’s where there possibly could be future housing, plus the anicillary things that go with it. It is not detailed planning permission at this stage.”

Cllr Paul O’Brien said: “Just look at your estate. All the houses are set back a great distance away from the road.

“A second way into Newport Industrial Estate is to the long-term betterment of this town. I wish to see a road into the back of Newport.”

But added that he wished to see the road built before any housing.

Cllr Val Bugden-Cawsey said: “One of the reasons I stood for election was because of my worry about development plans without any thought to the infrastructure.

“The problem with the proposed road is who will end up paying for it? I don’t believe the houses scheduled will generate enough money to pay for that road.

“If we take it out all together we lose control. At least this way if we keep it in we retain some kind of control.”

But Cllr Jane Nancarrow said she did not want to see building carried out there: “I support the idea for along the river being kept as a really special area. Newport is a fantastic area of Launceston. It could be such a wonderful area.

“I don’t know how we are going to fund it but I do think it really ought to be looked after.

“I don’t believe we should be building down there. It’s pretty much a flood plain.

“I want to know why it is Launceston is being dumped on all the time for housing.”

Cllr Dave Gordon said: “This is about residential housing being built along Kensey Valley, which I’m against.”

Adding that he felt there is ‘sufficient’ land south of the link road for housing Launceston has been allocated, he said: “This is not for Launceston’s benefit, this is for Cornwall Council’s benefit.

“I don’t know why in the eleventh hour Cornwall Council is asking us to look at this land when there’s land elsewhere.”

Cllr John Conway said: “There has always been a policy of no building to the north of the town because of Newport Square.”

Concerns were raised about opportunities for employment in Launceston.

Cllr John Harris said of Newport: “What we really need here considering all the housing being built is employment.

“We desperately need more employment and infrastructure and all the rest of it.”

Mayor Cllr Brian Hogan said: “I think there is real opportunity down at Newport. Not as an industrial estate. I think industrial estate conjures up the wrong feeling.”

He also said he felt it was ‘unfortunate’ there were no Cornwall Councillors present at the meeting.

Cllr Tremain moved that the town council does not support allocating that area just for housing, but that land to the east of Ridgegrove Hill be incorporated into light industry, business and technology use. This was agreed by nine councillors to five, with one abstention.

Cllr Paul O’Brien said at the meeting he felt Launceston undertaking a neighbourhood plan would enable them to get ‘back in control’.

Neighbourhood planning allows people to come together through a local parish or town council and say where they think new houses, businesses and shops should go, and what they should look like.

Cllr O’Brien said: “Nine or 12 months ago this council decided not to create a neighbourhood plan. Yet what everyone here is talking about is the need for a neighbourhood plan where this town, not just this council, with everyone involved, works together to create a plan that we want for our town, that is acceptable to the town.

“My understanding is a colleague will be proposing to our planning committee that we re-look at that decision. I would urge every member of planning to do just that.

“If you want to get back in control, and I don’t mean town council control but town control, that’s the route that’s available to us.”

Cllr Conway added: “In my mind it is essential to undertake a neighbourhood plan. It is a document that does have teeth and is worthwhile. That’s where we can put the detail that we are arguing about now.”