This page shows the time line and activities relating to Portreath Harbour since October 2005
A Golden Opportunity?
Many residents will no doubt be aware of the parlous state of our much-loved harbour.
For the past few months the Portreath Regeneration Committee has been in discussion with Kerrier District Council as to the future of Portreath Harbour. We can now publish the results.
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On the 11th of October 2005 the cabinet members of Kerrier District Council resolved that “In principle, assist the enablement of Portreath Regeneration Committee to carry out a feasibility study with a contribution of £5,000 from the Matched Funds Reserve, with a view to ultimately acquiring the freehold of Portreath Harbour’.
Kerrier District Council’s Asset Management Plan identifies the on-going requirement for the Council to review its property portfolio; since October 2004 the Council has been considering the options for the harbour..
KDC
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The Regeneration Committee is a sub committee of Portreath Parish Council, with members drawn from the Parish Council, Portreath Improvements Committee and the Harbour Users Association. Now the decision by Kerrier has been made, we need your thoughts and opinions on the direction and purpose the harbour should take, consequently we are organising a consultation day in the village Institute in the near future. Please come along to discuss possibilities, view ideas and give us your thoughts.
This resolution gives the community of Portreath a chance to guide and safeguard the future of our harbour for the first time in its history.
This is a huge undertaking and decision for the village and members of the committee are well aware of the enormity of this project. However, with the support of residents, village organisations and Kerrier District Council a new body can be formed to manage and administer the harbour and surrounding land into a self-funding enterprise.
Everybody who sees (and smells) the area will be aware of the substantial funding needed to regenerate it. Kerrier District Council has given us this opportunity to commission a feasibility study to see if this project is within our grasp.
The harbour could once again become the focal point of this community but this time under community control.
posted by Chris
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Portreath harbour will be a major beneficiary of a £42 million programme of waterfront improvements, if a bid to the Big Lottery's Regional Living Landmarks fund is successful.
Cornwall County Council, acting on behalf of the Cornish Harbours project, has applied for £25 million towards the cost of the five-year project, which would also see major regeneration work at Newlyn, Falmouth, Newquay and Looe.
The aim is to bring disused or run down harbours and neighbouring waterfront locations back into use for the benefit of their communities.
Georgina McLaren, from Cornwall Enterprise, which would administer the project, said: "Cornwall remains one of Europe's most deprived areas, and while much of the rural coastline is in the stewardship of the National Trust, many coastal communities are still struggling to find ways to adjust to the social, economic and environmental challenges they face."
All five locations chosen for the project have been assessed over several years and, although different in character, share common goals.
In all cases their aims include the promotion of community access, active enjoyment, learning, and local enterprise. The harbours would be the focus for regeneration actions and high quality physical improvements.
Just two months ago Kerrier Council announced it wished to dispose of Portreath harbour and expressed a desire to see it pass into community hands. Portreath's inclusion in the Cornish Harbours bid would appear to be perfectly timed and to provide the resources to make it happen.
As a result, the news has been greeted with delight by community groups in the village.
Chris Watts, chairman of the parish council, said: "The parish council, the harbour association and Portreath Improvements Committee are working together on this project and we are delighted to be included in the bid. It's a really strong bid, with a good chance of success, and we're extremely optimistic about the outcome."
If successful, the Cornish Harbours project would run from 2007-12. Portreath harbour would be regenerated and brought in to community ownership; the Edwardian pier at Falmouth would be refurbished and a new marine college built; East Looe would get a new promenade on its sea front; Newquay would get a new events area and seafront pathway; and there would be a new multi-use fish market building at Newlyn.
Mevagissey, Porthleven and Hayle have been put on standby for the scheme, although the latter is expected to be the subject of a separate bid led by its private sector owners and supported by Penwith District Council.
There is a consultation day about the future of the harbour at Portreath in the Millennium Hall on January 28 from 11am to 4pm.
People living in Portreath have given the "thumbs up" to the idea of taking their harbour into community ownership.
More than 250 people turned up for a consultation day at the Millennium Hall on Saturday, when details of Kerrier Council's proposal to sell off the harbour were on display.
After speaking to representatives of Kerrier's regeneration team, the parish council, and the harbour association, 86 per cent of residents present supported the proposal and said they wanted to see it move on to the next stage.
Chris Watts, chairman of the parish council, said the result was "a very strong mandate" to pursue community ownership.
He said: "We had a very successful consultation day. The questionnaires that people filled out showed 86 per cent support for community ownership, and that is a very strong mandate for Kerrier to take into a feasibility study.
"The parish council can now move forward to the next stage of this project by taking expert advice as to the terms of reference of the feasibility study and finding suitable surveyors to tender for the task."
Kerrier regeneration officer Scott James said the high turnout was a big advantage when applying for grant funding.
"In terms of both the Lottery application and other bids that we've got to put in, we can demonstrate a high level of support, and that's exactly what funders want to see."
Kerrier Council announced last November that it wanted to dispose of Portreath Harbour, because of high maintenance costs. It hoped it could pass into community ownership, and offered £5,000 towards a feasibility study.
In January it was announced that Portreath had been included in a potential £42 million programme of waterfront improvements, along with four other Cornish harbours.
Saturday's consultation day was opened by Julia Goldsworthy MP, one of the village's newest residents.
Mike Clayton, Kerrier's portfolio holder for assets, who also attended, reaffirmed the council's continuing commitment to the project.
Data gathered on the day will be analysed over the coming weeks.
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May 2006
The Harbour
A presentation was made to the Members of the Lottery Funding Board on 21st May by the Councillor Watts, Chairman of the Council; Mr. D. Coates, the Chairman of the Harbour Association; Officials of Kerrier District Council and Cornwall Enterprise Ltd. Other Harbours involved in the Funding Application were also visited by the Lottery Board Members but the Portreath application is the only 'community based' proposal included in the application for funding.
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