Church Street car park Falmouth Packet poll

Falmouth Town Council is currently carrying out a survey on what do with Church Street Car Park if the site is devolved to the town by current owners Cornwall Council.

The Packet is conducting a poll to see which option our readers would prefer to see. You can vote in the poll at the end of the article.

Lavigne Lonsdale (Image: Lavigne Lonsdale)

Falmouth’s Place Shaping Board, of which Falmouth Town Council is a partner, has commissioned local architects Lavigne Lonsdale and Cornwall-based Inner Circle Consulting to deliver a new vision and master plan for Church Street Car Park.

The four-acre site, owned by Cornwall Council, has been identified within Falmouth’s Neighbourhood Development Plan as being key to reimagining the town centre.

Lavigne Lonsdale (Image: Lavigne Lonsdale)

As well as four options put forward by the town council, option 5 gives people the chance to put forward their own ideas.

Two consultation sessions have already taken place during the Falmouth Oyster Festival with more planned over the coming weeks.

There are also plans for the consultation to go online as many people complained that the sessions were during working hours and they couldn't attend.

Falmouth Town Council has been offered the chance to take over the site (devolution) from Cornwall Council but if they do, it cannot be kept as a car park.

If it is not devolved to the town council it would remain a car park unless Cornwall Council decided to change its use or sell it. 

Before any options can be brought forward, an initial financial feasibility test will have to be undertaken

Option 1

This proposal can be considered a ‘light touch’ as it introduces some temporary structures and space for cafes and events.

Key features include:

• Remove the car park and utilise the space for temporary events.
• Allow car park access/parking outside of 11am and 4pm/winter months.
• Consider pop-up restaurants, cafes and bars.
• Consider market and music events on the lower car park.
• Consider re-marking the existing surfaces to remove the parking layout and use artists to create a new surface platform.

Option 1. Pic: Lavigne Lonsdale (Image: Lavigne Lonsdale) 

Option 2

This proposal involves building on the site periphery and introduces permanent low rise structures such as:

• Continue the terraced street and embed the sub-station into a ground floor with gated access to hide it
• Buildings would have commercial uses on the ground floor
• A new maritime office building for the pontoon access, with facilities including toilets, showers, stores (for paddle boards/canoes etc), reception/office and possible bar/café on the first floor
• Retail/leisure (café/bar etc) and first floor commercial (offices/work hub or leisure café/restaurant).

Option 2 Lavigne Lonsdale (Image: Lavigne Lonsdale)

Option 3

This proposal involves building more structures than option 2 however these will continue to be temporary or to be portable. This includes:

• Use of light weight structures such as shipping containers.
• Introduce a flexible layout of the scheme to allow for event spaces on the upper deck car park.
• Restrict all buildings to two storey development only.
• Ground floor uses will be a mixture of retail/leisure and the first floor commercial.
• Include space for secure cycle storage and storage for event management and temporary street furniture.
• Allow for disabled parking in the winter months only.

Option 4

The proposal involves building permanent structures across the entirety of the site with designated public space for events and celebrations.

This includes:

• Utilise the level difference between Church Street and the car park (3m) to create better accessibility to the water.
• Events spaces on the upper deck car park.
• Restrict all buildings to a two storey development only.
• Ground floor uses will be a mixture of retail/leisure and the first floor commercial.
• Include space for secure cycle storage and storage for event management and temporary street furniture.
• Allow for disabled parking in winter months only

Lavigne Lonsdale (Image: Lavigne Lonsdale) 

Option 5 

Help them create a fifth option that is different from options 1 to 4. You can take inspiration from waterfront sites across the UK and around the world.

Lavigne Lonsdale (Image: Lavigne Lonsdale)

Some potential key features could include any and/or all components:

• An extended pier with a public park.
• A family-friendly outdoor sports area for things like skateboarding, cycling and entertainment.
• A covered structure for events such as community talks, film screenings and arts and culture.
• A hotel with outdoor seating and views of the waterfront.

Lavigne Lonsdale (Image: Lavigne Lonsdale) 

The Packet wants to know what its readers think about the plans? Do you think it should remain as a car park; Are you in favour of one of the consultations four options or do you have your own grand plans for the site? Let us know in the comments below or on our Facebook page?

We would also like to get an idea of what people want by getting them to vote in our Packet poll

Consultations continue to take place on: 

• Tuesday, October 25: 10-4pm at The Princess Pavilion
• Wednesday, October 26: 10am-4pm at Art Gallery/Library lobby
• Thursday, October 27: 10am-4pm at The Dracaena Centre

Falmouth Town Council says it will also be putting the consultation online as well.