Penzance Harbour Project seen as “Becalmed”.

Penzance Town Councillors were updated on the Penzance Harbour project at the full Town Council meeting held on Mon 16 July.  There was concern that, despite a DfT convened meeting on the 15 June, the Penzance Harbour project appeared “becalmed”. 

Cllr John Pender, Chairman of Penzance Harbour Scheme Management Board, was cautious is his brief on the situation making the point that Penzance Town Council had discharged its responsibility to deliver the Options Review and find a solution that had broad community support.  He pointed out that others had the responsibility for taking the project forward.  Cllr Ruhrmund made a more impassioned plea for the Town Council to take action to move the project along.  It was agreed that an urgent meeting with Cornwall Council was needed.

Comment.  There are issues with the ‘deliverability’ of the new Penzance proposals given the need to qualify for ERDF funding to bulk up the £4 million contribution proposed by the  DfT.  The current ERDF programme end in Dec 2015 and realistically any ERDF funded project needs a high degree of certainty of ending by the end of 2014/early 2015.  The Ministers decision to link the St Mary’s Harbour project to the Penzance Harbour project means that if one project fails for any reason then both projects fail.