A GROUP formed to fight plans for the expansion of Truro and Threemilestone over the next 20 years has published an alternative vision for the area's future.

Truro Concern said Carrick District Council's blueprint for the area's development, the Truro and Threemilestone Area Action Plan (TTAP), is "planning for failure" and urged the new Cornwall Council, which is taking the plan forward, to think again.

The action group was set up by county and Truro city councillors Bert Biscoe and Armorel Carlyon two years ago, when plans were first announced to provide 6,400 new homes and 9,500 new jobs locally to meet central government requirements.

Since then residents' associations in Penweathers, Gloweth, Calenick, Greenbottom, Rosedale, Malabar, Trelander and Newbridge, as well as the Truro Transition group, have joined Truro Concern and added their name to its rival proposals. Truro Concern said the level of growth envisaged in the TTAP is too high and does not have the backing of local people.

Extraordinary

Cllr Biscoe said: "The TTAP seems bent upon imposing extraordinary levels of population growth, built development, loss of farms and farmland, reduction in accessible amenity and recreation spaces, deterioration in economic conditions and a net increase in carbon generation.

"This is not simply bad planning for a future in which climate change, new technologies and the shift to post-oil, social strategies all require different, innovative approaches to land use – it is also demoralising for the existing community."

In its alternative proposals, "Planning for Failure", Truro Concern argues the target for new homes should be 3,000. But it warns Truro may have reached its peak as an employment centre, with public sector organisations reducing staffing levels and rural areas providing more opportunities for growth, for example in tourism, food and farming.

Development

It says any development plan should pay more attention to helping the area reduce its carbon footprint and protect agricultural land to sustain the local population.

It adds that the blueprint should include plans for waste handling and renewable energy generation, promote rail and maritime transport, and reduce reliance on private cars and the road infrastructure.

Truro Concern believes Truro should remain the main retail centre and the trading environment should be improved, but does not support the scale of retail development envisaged in the TTAP.

Cllr Biscoe said: "The TTAP is a blueprint for over-exploitation, social decline and environmental degradation.

"Cornwall, Truro, Threemilestone and the farms, hamlets, villages around the town deserve more care and respect. We believe our rival document shows how this might be achieved."

Copies of Truro Concern's "Planning for Failure" document are available from Cllr Biscoe who can be contacted by telephone on 01872 242293, or Cllr Carlyon on 01872 274491.

Alternatively see the West Briton's website thisiscornwall.co.uk from where the document can be downloaded.

Truro Concern's alternative plans for the Truro and Threemilestone area include:

● 3,000 new homes, including in the city centre, on land to the south east of Threemilestone, north of Treliske industrial estate, at Highertown, and on the Kenwyn caravan park site;

● creating additional employment areas, including for food processing near Treliske, extending employment space in the Newham area, and providing live-work units at Moorfield;

● the protection of open spaces which would be maintained as sustainable community assets, including at Coosebean and Higher Newham;

● protecting Tolgarrick Farm, as well as neighbouring land south of the A390 as a 'safeguarded rural sustainability area' for food and fuel;

● planning for renewable energy schemes, including a wind farm at Higher Newham, a tidal barrier scheme, and a community recycling centre at Newham to assemble commercially viable cargoes of recycling for transport by ship.