A LARGE majority of people who voted in an online Packet poll concerning the Falmouth Recreation Ground backed plans for housing development on the site.

The poll, which closed on Friday evening, attracted a massive response with 2,519 people voting in favour of housing on the recreation ground and 401 against.

The future of the ground, owned by Carrick district council and leased to the rugby club, has become one of the most controversial issues in Falmouth for a decade.

The rugby club wishes to move to a new site off Bickland Water Road for which planning permission has already been granted. It has been suggested that the recreation ground then be developed for housing with a number of properties being designated as "affordable."

A "Save our Rec" action group has been set up by those claiming the ground is open space and should be kept as such for the people of the town.

The organisers of the action group have collected 5,000 names on a petition opposing the development scheme which they intend to hand to Roger Bonney, the mayor of Falmouth, in the near future.

Carrick council say the lease on the ground has a monetary value in favour of the rugby club.

Louise Dwelly, for the authority, said nothing has or would be done until a development partner had been appoint ed, a brief drawn up, consultation taken place, architects chosen, preparatory work carried out and a pre-application consultation held before a planning appli cation is submitted.

"We have not yet done any of these things and we are approximately one year away from a planning application,"

Mrs Dwelly told the action group.

Members of the "Save the Rec" action group have criticised the Packet online poll claiming that it was "open to abuse and unrepresentative." They said individ uals could vote repeatedly and only peo ple with access to a computer could take part.

Packet deputy editor Stephen Ivall said: "There are controls in place to try and prevent multiple voting but they are not foolproof. It's impossible to prevent multiple voting if someone is determined enough to do it and our vote shouldn't be taken too seriously for that reason.

Online voting is a snapshot of public opinion not a scientific measurement.

Even so, the result is remarkable when you consider that 18% of the population of Falmouth took part."

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