Dear Anna
Further to my site meeting at Poplar Terrace, Flushing with representatives from Mylor Parish Council, Councillors Tony Martin and Bert Biscoe on 22nd October 2015, I can confirm the outcome of the meeting was as follows:
It was confirmed that Cornwall Council will not be in a position to prioritise any capital funding towards an improvement scheme at Poplar Terrace, Flushing for the foreseeable future due to higher priorities across the highway network in the County. In this regard, it was agreed that any scheme to improve the locality would need to be funded via the Parish Council or other third party funding, although Cornwall Council/CORMAC will provide guidance for the Parish in progressing the preferred/most suitable scheme within available resource. The previous parking proposals that Ben Dickinson had provided were discussed and both were ruled out as not being suitable for the location. It was suggested that a road widening scheme could be the most suitable solution. It was suggested that the existing Cornwall Council owned land at Poplar Terrace could be used to facilitate the road widening with the southern side of the road then forming a suitable area for parking with the extra space created. It was agreed this was the preferred scheme to progress. It was then pointed out that there are several steps that would need to be undertaken in progressing such a scheme and I can summarise the process as below:
1. To establish whether Cornwall Council/Housing would be willing to dedicate the land as highway. This is essential as without at least the agreement in principle in place there is no way any scheme could progress. I understand the relevant contacts for the land are Jonny Alford in Cornwall Council Property and possibly Peter Jarman for Cornwall Housing. A possible complication is that some of the frontage of the verge looks to be licensed out to owners of no. 5 and no. 7 which would need to be addressed. Bert Biscoe has offered to arrange a meeting with the relevant contacts from Cornwall Council/Housing and it would be advisable to involve the Community Link Officer, Mark James in any meeting. The Parish would be liable for any legal fees associated with any highways dedication process.
2. On receipt of the relevant permissions that Cornwall Council would be willing to dedicate the land, we can then involve the highways client for Cornwall Council, Andy Stevenson (Andy is also the vicar for the church, therefore has an interest from this perspective also) regarding scoping up a widening/improvement scheme.
3. It is likely that once a scheme has been agreed in principle, a full feasibility study would need to be completed by our design team, including trial pits on-site. There would be a significant cost associated with this (to be confirmed once scope is known) which the Parish would need to fund. Once the feasibility has been undertaken and a scheme shown to be feasible, options for the scheme could be drawn up and a design could be progressed (again to be funded by the Parish – ballpark costs would be provided from the feasibility study).
4. The final hurdle is to secure the funding (amount unknown at this stage but would be addressed as part of the above process) for progressing the final design. This could be either by securing section 106 monies from local developments, or what Bert suggested in terms of a loan that could be paid back via raising the local precept.
5. Once funding has been secured the scheme can go out to consultation and subject to the process being successful will then be programmed for construction.
I would add the final caveat to all of the above; for the avoidance of doubt, the Parish Council will be liable for any costs associated with the above process including legal fees and any other costs that become apparent as part of the above process.
I trust the above is helpful and an accurate account of what was discussed/agreed.
If I can be of more assistance, please let me know.
Kind regards.
Viv Bidgood
Highways & Environment Manager
CORMAC Solutions Ltd