National Trust plans for Trelissick Gardens rejected

Councilors have voted to refuse planning permission for a new car park and pedestrian crossing at a National Trust property near Falmouth.

The charity said its plans for Trelissick House and Gardens at Feock were designed to stop cars blocking the access road.

Managing director of neighboring company King Harry Ferry said the proposed narrowing of the B3289 and crossing would cause “massive delays”.

At a planning meeting, nine councilors voted in favor, one voted against and there was one abstention.

The trust’s plans include increasing existing parking spaces and building a new 225-space car park for a total of 524 spaces, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The new car park was proposed to be built on Dicky Lane, opposite the road, with pedestrian access to the main house and gardens.

Garrick Royle, managing director of the King Harry Ferry Company, said the trust’s monitoring of traffic flow did not take into account the number of vehicles leaving the ferry to pass by Trelissick.

He said: “Our main concern is the narrowing of the road with an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing which will cause massive delays and disruption to traffic accessing the Roseland Peninsula.

“We also believe the crossing will be dangerous for pedestrians.”

Mr Royle asked that consideration be given to a bridge or the relocation of additional parking so that a crossing would not be required.

Some councilors expressed concern that a pedestrian crossing would lead to delays, emergency vehicles missing ferry crossings and possible anger from drivers trying to get to the ferry on time.

A number of councilors and speakers at Wednesday’s meeting suggested a park-and-ride facility in Truro with shuttles run by the trust, or a park-and-ride system using the ferry, would be more environmentally friendly.

A planning officer for the trust said it had been working with council officers and the local authority’s highways officer, Cormac.

The agent said the benefits included improved public safety and traffic management, a net biodiversity gain of 34%, the planting of more than 200 new trees and the creation of seven new jobs.