Plans for National Trust estate refused

The National Trust had plans for a new car park and pedestrian crossing

Councillors have voted to refuse planning permission for a new car park and pedestrian crossing at a National Trust property near Falmouth.

The charity said its plans for Trelissick House and Gardens at Feock were designed to stop queuing cars blocking the access road.

The managing director of the neighbouring King Harry Ferry Company said the proposed narrowing of the B3289 and crossing would cause "massive delays".

At a planning meeting, nine councillors voted to refuse, one voted against and there was one abstention.

The new car park was proposed for Dicky Lane, which is on the other side of the B3289

The trust's plans included increasing the existing car parking spaces and building a new 225-space car park in order to have 524 spaces in total, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The new car park was proposed to be built on Dicky Lane, on the opposite of the road, with a pedestrian crossing to the main house and gardens.

Garrick Royle, managing director of the King Harry Ferry Company, said traffic flow monitoring by the trust did not take into account the number of vehicles leaving the ferry to drive past Trelissick.

He said: “Our principal concern is the road narrowing with an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing which will cause massive delays and disruption to traffic accessing the Roseland Peninsula.

"We also believe the crossing will be dangerous for pedestrians."

Mr Royle asked for a bridge to be considered, or the relocation of additional parking so a crossing would not be required.

Some councillors voiced concern that a pedestrian crossing would lead to delays, emergency vehicles missing ferry crossings and possible road rage from drivers trying to get to the ferry on time.

A number of councillors and speakers at the meeting on Wednesday suggested a park-and-ride facility in Truro with shuttles organised by the trust, or a park and float system using the ferry, would be more environmentally friendly.

A planning agent for the trust said it had worked with council officers and the local authority’s highways agent Cormac.

The agent said benefits included improved public safety and traffic management, a 34% biodiversity net gain, the planting of more than 200 new trees and the creation of seven new jobs.