Cornwall Council cabinet members have criticised "misinformation" in the run-up to a protest that will see a giant turd pulled along Penzance seafront.
Organisers of the random act of art theatrical protest, due to take place on Bank Holiday Monday, have accused the council of going back on a promise to deliver 11 affordable homes as part of the redevelopment of Coinagehall Street in Penzance. The council and its construction company, Treveth, argue the affordable properties will still be built but through a different funding mechanism.
Campaigners will dress as flies and drag a huge poo from Newlyn Green along the seafront to the development site near Jubilee Pool from 11am on Monday (August 31). They described it as "a gift from the flies to Treveth and the council … the flies are delighted and happy with the s**t job they are doing".
Organisers said: "The protest is over what can be built on the site above St Anthony Gardens where Treveth, a company 99 per cent owned by Cornwall Council, have spent £3.6 million on making the garden step free. The second phase of the proposed development promised 11 affordable homes alongside market value ones, but then went back on that promise … though retaining the premium penthouses."
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They added that "a lot of local resistance and campaigning has already been worked on … so we decided that it's time to do something different – a theatrical and spectacular happening to bring more attention to this mess".
Leading members of Cornwall Council's Liberal Democrat / Independent administration have responded.
Cllr Peter La Broy, cabinet member for housing, said: "It's very important for us to deliver as many affordable houses as we possible can and that's exactly what we're going to do at Coinagehall Street. Misinformation is really damaging and could actually lead to nothing being built at all.
"Last year we delivered over 800 affordable homes in Cornwall and I need to keep those numbers up. So please judge us on what we deliver not on hearsay."
"Cornwall Council will not allow this site to be developed without affordable housing in the mix as set out," added Cllr Tim Dwelly, member for economic regeneration and investment. "So if you're hearing news to the contrary, please ignore it. It's not true.
"This site will have no holiday homes or second homes – it will all be homes for local people."
Tim Mulholland, managing director of Treveth, has previously issued a statement to reassure the community. He said there is no change in the company's commitment to the scheme or providing affordable homes, just that it must change how it does it.
He said: "We want to reassure the local community that this planning application does not represent a change in our commitment to delivering the Coinagehall Street scheme. Rather, it has been submitted to ensure the development can move forward this year, subject to planning approval.
"This application relates to a proposed change in how the affordable homes would be delivered. Rather than being secured through the Section 106 agreement, the proposal is for the affordable homes to be provided through an application to Homes England Social and Affordable Housing Programme.
"The planning application is the only mechanism available to demonstrate the scheme's viability and enable an application to Homes England for funding. This is not a situation unique to Coinagehall Street – similar challenges are affecting housing developments across Cornwall and the wider UK."
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Cornwall Council Rejects Claims It Will Drop Affordable Homes