HELSTON Town Council has taken to social media to explain its involvement, or lack thereof, in the decision to refuse the development of a retail park at Hospital Cross.

As reported by The Packet yesterday, the controversial retail park on the outskirts of Helston has been refused – more than 18 months after plans first went in.

Now, Helston Town Council has taken to Facebook to explain that it had nothing to do with the refusal and that the decision had actually come from Cornwall Council.

In a stament published on its Facebook page, Helston Town Council said: "For clarity, the land at Hospital Cross included in the application is owned by the Helston Downsland Trust charity.

"Helston Town Council is not directly involved with the Helston Downsland Trust but, by virtue of their role, the majority of Town Councillors are also Trustees for the Trust.

"An option agreement was made between the Trustees and the developer which included a condition which prevented their commenting on the application and following advice it was confirmed that it was not possible for Councillors to comment in their capacity as a Councillor without breaching the agreement as a Trustee.

"For this reason Helston Town Council’s Planning Committee did not make any comment regarding planning applications at this site and the decision has been made by Cornwall Council as the Planning Authority.

"To be clear should Helston Town Council have been in a position to consider this application it is a consultee in the planning process and can only make recommendations to Cornwall Council who would still make the final decision."

Falmouth Packet: How the development might have looked How the development might have looked (Image: Pegasus/Cornwall Council)

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Parsonage Developments Ltd had applied for permission to develop a 2.7 hectare greenfield site at Hospital Cross, between the Sainsbury’s supermarket and Flambards Theme Park, to include an Aldi, McDonald's and Costa, with drive-thrus for the latter two.

The Downsland Trust were thrust into the spotlight in January 2021 - when plans to develop the land at hospital cross were announced - after Helston Climate Action Group called for more 'transparency' in the way it operates.

Members questioned the transparency of the Downland Trust, saying: "If this deal is so beneficial to the people of Helston, why has there never been any consultation with our community?"

And they also questioned what they described at the time as 'a potential conflict of interest,' saying: "As councillors, they are legally prevented from having a say on planning applications made by the developers, because they essentially own the land.

"They will be unable, as a council, to raise any objections whatsoever to anything the developers propose.

"It will be for us, the community of Helston, to engage with the planning process while the people democratically placed to represent us are forced to sit on their hands," they said.

However, it is understood that since then the Downsland Trust has begun taking steps to modernise its constitution, including holding public meetings.