I DID not like the tone of T Hawke's letter in last week's Packet, accusing the "Save the Rec" campaign of hoodwinking the people of Falmouth, which means to trick or deceive in signing their petition, which is a very strong accusation to make.
I have signed the petition, having read it and being fully aware of their objectives, by their letters in the press to save the town's recreation ground from the development of housing. To say that they have managed to trick or deceive over 5,000 people is laughable, and his comments will not de-rail their campaign.
He also says that they have not come up with alternative sites, which they say exists to build affordable housing, so I decided to jump in my car and do a tour of the town searching for Carrick and county-owned land which could be suitable for these much needed homes. First I drove to Swanvale, to the area of the old fuel tank depot and the back of Prislow Fields. Here I found quite a large area, which would site quite a few homes, leaving a sizeable grassed area for recreation. From there I went to the old school canteen, which has been derelict for years, opposite the fire station, which I think is county-owned and believed to be ear-marked for a swimming pool. Why not build some houses there and build the swimming pool at the recreation ground, which would be the best place and within easy walking distance from most places in the town? I also noticed an overgrown area at the back of the canteen which goes down beside the railway line, there is another option for a few more.
I then went down to the Dracaena Avenue playing fields, which is Carrick-owned, where there has been a suggestion to build. I can see the angle where the person who suggested it is coming from, but I would suggest building a small development on the bottom field only, next to Lucas and the police station, backing on to Esperanza Court, leaving the middle and top fields and the banks up to Grenville Crescent as open space.
I continued on my quest down to the old gas works site, behind Vospers. In here hundreds of houses could be built making a significant dent to the housing problem, but I am not sure who owns this land. The council should be seriously looking at acquiring this piece of land, if they don't already own it! Opposite is the old Falmouth Packet premises, which I believe is Carrick-owned land, which I now hear a supermarket is to build on. Surely this site should be released for housing?
My last stop was at the old Carrick council deport at Ponsharden, and I found that it has been demolished, concreted over as a continuation of the park-and-float car park - another ideal site for a few more houses, only to be lost to private enterprise, and what about when Leo's is pulled out at Ashfield, another site for homes, and also the condemned Budock Hospital, a brown field site which would be perfect. If Carrick are serious about affordable housing, let's have a response from them about the above suggestions.
So there you are T Hawke, that's all I could find at this present time! I just wish our councillors would get off their backsides and look for suitable plots of affordable housing land, or have they got their blinkered eyes fully focused on the recreation ground and can't be bothered to look elsewhere. Roll on the May elections.
P Dunstan, The Beacon, Falmouth
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