Call for council to take on whole Hayle Harbour redevelopment if it's ever going to happen

Cornwall Council is set to use £5.65m from Homes England to provide a road which will unlock the development of housing on land owned by Sennybridge Hayle Ltd (SHL) and invest more than £15m on acquiring land to build 140 homes itself on the development

A former leader of Cornwall Council says the only way the full benefits of a major redevelopment of Hayle Harbour will happen is if the council takes over the entire scheme.

The council's Cabinet agreed today to intervene in the development of Hayle Harbour after it stalled under the current owners and developers.

Cornwall Council is now set to use £5.65m from Homes England to provide a road which will unlock the development of housing on land owned by Sennybridge Hayle Ltd (SHL).

And the council is set to invest more than £15m on acquiring land to build 140 homes itself on the development.

Outline planning permission is already in place for major housing development across the Hayle Harbour site along with employment, leisure and retail developments.

But the council has decided to step in after the project stalled under the current owners.

Hayle councillor and former Cornwall Council leader John Pollard welcomed the decision but said that he and others in Hayle believe the council will have to do more.

Independent Cornwall councillor for Hayle North John Pollard says private developers can't be counted on to fufil the harbour's potential (Image: Sally Adams)

He said: "Over the years many have recognised the potential of Hayle but....after 60 years of decline and 40 years of a series of private owners who promised much and delivered little it is only by the action of this authority over the last eight years that that decline has stemmed.

"This is another step forward and I am delighted to see it. Myself and many of my colleagues in Hayle are convinced and have been convinced for something like 30 years that it is only by an authority such as this taking over the whole of the private holding of Hayle, including the harbour and the land around it, that the future economic development of Hayle will be secured.

"I take the point that that will have to come back and I hope it will come back as I think that is the only way forward."

Cornwall Council says that the development at Hayle Harbour could provide 600 new homes and unlock 600 employment opportunities.

Cornwall Council hopes that its involvement in the development at Hayle Harbour, as seen in this artist's impression, will help provide 600 homes and 600 jobs

The Cabinet agreed to acquire the land needed from SHL and recommended to full council that the council's capital programme should increase by £15.7m for the works.

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