Public meeting Heamoor housing plans 1979

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Hot debate over the controversial building of 300 properties at Heamoor March 1979.
This report is about the building proposal for housing on otherwise empty land.
Today Roscadghill Parc, Tremaine Close, Heabrook Parc, Nicholas Parc and Rosehill Gardens are built. Later (some 15 years on) Rosehill Meadows was added and later still Church View after the millennium.


This is the first time I have sat in this council chamber feeling I am at a trial conducted by Perry Mason a meeting at Penzance Guildhall was told on Monday. After two of Penwith Council's chief officers had put their cases for different styles of development on the authority's 50-odd acres of land at Heamoor.
The site, which must rank among the most scenic in Penwith, has Ions been at the centre of a controversy. Many say it should be left unspoiled.
Monday's joint meeting of the council's housing and planning committee was chaired by the housing chairman. Mr Jack Nicholas.
At the outset, he said it had been called following the last public participation meeting at Heamoor, the results of which had been considered by the chief officers.
He said that one of the officers I had favoured one of the schemes while the other Chief Planning Officer Mr Peter Smith had gone for another. And it was Mr Smith style of development for the site which was accepted 16 votes to 6
His idea was accepted on the proposition of' Mr Terry Tonkin, vice-chairman of the planning committee, seconded by planning chairman. Mr Peter Badccck. It will now go forward as a recommendation, to the full council.
Speaking for the unsuccessful plan. Chief Technical Officer. Mr Neville Hodgson, remarked that there was a view at the first public meeting at Heamoor that the land should not be developed at all. This was still expressed fairly strongly at the second public meeting, he said, adding: "There has to be an acceptance that the development has to take place."

The first phase was common to both schemes, and the recommendation asks that this be allowed to proceed immediately.
Plans, models and slides having been looked at and explanations given, the two and a quarter hour meeting got down to a lively debate in which the wisdom of going ahead with the development at all was questioned.
"It is extremely difficult to make up mv mind between these two." said Mr Donald Bray.
“it’s a tossup he added” “It's like trying to make up your mind whether to have 5 month's holiday at Claridges or a month at the Savoy, when all you can afford is a tent at the Towans for the weekend!"
It was the worst possible time to incur the tremendous costs of either scheme.
"It is a singularly academic discussion and I fail to see how we are are going to pay for it." Mr- John Daniel told the meeting; "This is the first time I have sat at this council chambers feeling like I am at a trial conducted by Perry Mason.
"There is a conflict of opinion between our professional officers if there hadn't been a conflict we would not be here tonight”.
"Then he alleged that not one home on the proposed developments had been coasted” "To ask us to make a decision on one or other of the schemes without identifying the costs of one or the other is a bit worrying as far as I am concerned."

Mr John Sleeman did not think it was the time to embark upon a huge financial undertaking one of the elements which fuels the flames of' inflation. He made his position quite clear. "I will have to vote against either scheme." Mr Daniel said "he estimated the cost of the Heamoor development £12 to 15 million.
 
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