A bid to turn a gymnastics centre into houses is back on the table after efforts to keep it within the community failed.
The application, from Adrian Punter, was first heard by Cornwall Councils planning committee back on April 6.
Mr Punter wants to knock down the existing frame structure of Mullion Gymnastics Centre in Trembel Lane and build two houses, while retaining the manager's accommodation to be also be used as a house.
It had been called in by previous division councillor Carolyn Rule, over concerns of a loss of the gym facility and impact of more housing in this location.
Mr Punter had told councillors that the gym, which opened in 2009, had been closed since March last year and would not reopen after it was found to no longer be financially viable.
However Cllr Rule said that she had spoken to Mullion School’s headteacher, who said that the school would like to use it as a sports hall.
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The committee agreed to defer its decision until after this possibility could be investigated.
Now, in a new council document, it explains that following the committee meeting, the applicant, in consultation with a commercial property agent, took part in discussions with the Southerly Point Co-operative Multi-Academy Trust, a collection of 19 schools including Mullion.
The applicant is said to have put forward three options to the school: The school could buy the building, the school could lease the building or it could purchase the steel building as a whole and place in the grounds of the school.
The report states: "The chief financial advisor of the Trust has advised that 'After reviewing my report on the three options you provided to Mullion School regarding the current Mullion Gym, all parties consulted have now agreed that on this occasion neither of the three options meet Mullion School needs and therefore the Southerly Point Trust need to decline all three options. Many thanks for providing Mullion School with all three options before going out to the open market'.”
With the school not taking up the offer of the building, satisfying the committee's previous requirement, it was now considered that the matter had been investigated, was not an option and the planning application should be referred back to the planning committee, the report concludes.
Members of the West Sub-Area Planning Committee are due to meet on Monday, July 26, to reconsider the plans.
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