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First phase of new £7m fish market gets the go-ahead |
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Thursday, 17 January 2008 00:00 |
Phase one of Newlyn's new £7m fish market was granted outline planning permission in a vote by Penwith's planning committee at St John's Hall on Tuesday. The seal of approval gives the go-ahead to demolish the existing buildings and construct a new fish market and four fish processing units and a further three units adjacent to Gwavas Quay.
The car park entrance will be relocated 60 metres south of its current position.
A new layout will reduce the car parking spaces by 49 and provide nine HGV spaces.
Tony Woodhams, Newlyn's fisheries project manager, said the loss of car parking spaces would be temporary.
"As we go through the phases of the build we lose them but at the end of the project there will be more than 103," he said.
Andrew Munson, Newlyn's harbour master, said the commissioners would be discussing alternative temporary arrangements.
A green travel plan proposes to reduce car use to and from the harbour through car sharing schemes, cycle stands and improved bus links.
The county surveyor has, however, requested greater clarity on who had responsibility for implementation.
Penwith Council received 29 letters of support on the grounds of job creation and regeneration.
Eight letters of objection were also received.
Reasons for concern included the need for a much larger facility; loss of car parking spaces; main building too large, too high, too close to the road and out of keeping with both surrounding development and conservation area; fishing industry in decline; no provision for relocation of existing businesses; potential loss of employment; and noise and disturbance from the ice making facility.
However, Malcolm Pilcher, one of Newlyn's councillors, said the port would die without a new market.
"Fishermen are landing at Newlyn and then hiring huge lorries at £3,000 a time and putting all their fish inside and taking it to Plymouth," he said.
Colin Warwick, skipper of the Brixham-based Valhalla fishing boat, used to land and sell at Newlyn but switched to Plymouth last year.
"We tried Plymouth because it has a clock auction and we doubled our money on the first landing."
Mr Warwick said he took "no pride" in not landing at Newlyn.
"It was a plea to get them to get their act together and get a clock auction in."
Douglas Williams, chair of the harbour commissioners, said an electronic auction was being considered for Newlyn.
Newlyn's new fish market building, without the costs of the units, is costing £7m. Tony Woodhams said £3m of that budget would come from government funding and £2m from the Newlyn Harbour Commission.
The shortfall is expected to be met by the European Regional Development Fund.
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