For some time now I have been waiting to see what Priority Sites Ltd were proposing to put on the Falmouth Business Park as they "out bid" my offer to the RDA last year to build a single iconic building on that same site. My bid was sympathetic to the adjoining housing in the area of Mongleath Avenue I was told that my bid was not up to the standard of the design bid proposal being considered by the RDA and that it was to be awarded to others. I agreed to step down expecting someone to design something even better, and I'm used to working on iconic buildings! "Wow. I later learned that it had been awarded to Priority Sites Ltd, an arms length "quango" of the RDA!

I have always stated that this site in my view is probably the best in Cornwall, next to Eden, to build a statement of architecture for Cornwall and Falmouth to be proud. Its position high on the hill, with panoramic views of all of Falmouth Bay as a back drop to any visiting clients, is second to none. A single building on that site fully landscaped is all that Falmouth needs to show off the best Cornwall has to offer, especially in support of all the new development taking place at our new CUC Tremough campus. To be at the forefront of world class design, which we as a company do, you also need to operate from modern icon buildings to compliment our work. In our building we would have employed many other aspects of design work for an international client base already established.

It does not now surprise me that all Priority Sites Ltd wish to do is over-develop the site to gain maximum return on investment and put to one side any ambition of looking at how Cornwall and Falmouth should be profiling the area to attract the right sort of business to the area in the long term. If you wish to build six factories to accommodate mass employment look for land on the outskirts of Falmouth that is not hindered by housing on the adjoining land bank.

In the near future we will have a substantial university campus on our doorstep, with hundreds of students wishing to stay, live and have a career in this area. The job for the leaders of our county is finding work on an international level that will sustain good quality, well paid jobs in the area of Falmouth. You first need to create the image before you build more boxes of offices.

I rest my case as the public sector always know better.

Michael Jordan, chairman, Cornish Stairways International, Penryn