<p> Warnings of traffic gridlock, more second homes, loss of heritage
and "noise, mess and misery" come this week from the protest
group set up to stop the Penlee quarry marina development.</p>
<p>The Stop the Marina! group - which will soon be launching a poster
and leaflet drop to publicise its campaign - says that if the multi-million-pound
scheme goes ahead it will "completely overload" the existing
infrastructure.</p>
<p>The group says it hopes to put pay to "common myths"
that the marina will create new jobs and become a catalyst for economic
prosperity.</p>
<p>"Any new jobs created will be mainly seasonal and low paid
and the new residents will also be competing for our local jobs,"
said spokeswoman Caroline Astin this week.</p>
<p>"And, as for economic prosperity - hardly!</p>
<p>"Our roads, car-parks, hospitals, schools, emergency services,
water supply, sewage and waste disposal systems are already straining
under the load."</p>
<p>Following Newlyn man Graham Hewitt's recent traffic impact document
- a move which the group welcomes and supports - they are now challenging
the Port Penlee team to "come clean" over their traffic
assessment and to reveal how their figures were compiled.</p>
<p>Ms Astin said: "The traffic impact assessment figures for
the developers were compiled and published by their consultants,
Hyder, yet these figures bear no resemblance to Mr Hewitt's. The
disparity is astonishing.</p>
<p>"Hyder estimates approximately 550 vehicles per day departing
or arriving from the marina; Mr Hewitt estimates approximately 1,400
a day.</p>
<p>"How can such a huge disparity be so as Mr Hewitt has based
his report on known government figures?"</p>
<p>Ian George, technical director for Hyder, has recently stated than
an initial interim traffic assessment had been carried out but there
was no report publicly available because the scheme still needed
further discussion with the planners and Cornwall County Council.
Revised figures and their methodology would become available later
in the year when they are submitted along with planning applications.</p>
<p>This news has done little to placate the objectors.</p>
<p>Ms Astin added: "The Stop the Marina! group contends that
this practice of last-minute disclosure is wholly unacceptable.</p>
<p>"We will shortly embark on a poster and leaflet campaign to
raise awareness of the many threats and to dispel the myths surrounding
the project, such as affordable housing, jobs, economic prosperity
and low environmental impact.</p>
<p>"We aim to systematically demolish all the developer's hype
and our findings will be presented at a full-scale public meeting
and presentation in due course.</p>
<p>"There are a number of more appropriate alternatives that
the developers have chosen to overlook. We will demonstrably highlight
those alternatives."</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the group is claiming that a number of properties in
Newlyn have been earmarked for demolition to make way for the scheme
and to accommodate the prospective "huge increase" of
traffic flows resulting from the marina.</p>
<p>"One of these schemes is said to involve the compulsory purchase
and demolition of a number of historic properties to facilitate
the construction of a roundabout at Newlyn Bridge," added Ms
Astin, who claims that some owners of properties potentially earmarked
for demolition had already been approached by representatives for
the developers.</p>
<p>The tight bottleneck known as 'The Narrows' is a particular concern,
she added.</p>
<p>However two of the property-owners suggested by another member
of the group, Adam Whaley, as among those approached, have both
told The Cornishman that this has not been the case - adding that
talk of possible demolition in the port to end traffic congestion
had been going on for years.</p>
<p>Neither have been approached by the developers or any of their
representatives.</p>
<p>Penwith Council's chief executive Jim McKenna said he was aware
of no such proposals.</p>
<p>"The only time I have heard this mooted was in a public meeting
probably two or more years ago - but I am not aware that anything
further has happened," he said.</p>
<p>Edward Iliffe, director of developers MDL (Marine Development Ltd),
yesterday said that MDL had not approached any property owners in
Newlyn or Mousehole with a view to demolishing property - and went
on to answer several other points raised by the group.</p>
<p>With regard to traffic assessment schemes, MDL is, he said, considering
the points raised by Mr Hewitt and is researching his findings based
upon the National Traffic Survey.</p>
<p>Commenting on the group's contention of "last minute disclosures
as wholly unacceptable" he said: "It is not the intention
of MDL to provide last minute disclosure and has been researching
this scheme for over seven years.</p>
<p>"The traffic assessment is one of the last major pieces of
research as the conditions of the quarry are the most challenging
in terms of defining the scale of the potential development."</p>
<p>He also said MDL would welcome the opportunity to consider "appropriate
alternatives" - and has a great deal of research which could
help in determining what might be possible.</p>
<p>He added: "MDL's long-term plans for the site are to create
an environmental, sustainable, long-term marina-based business at
Penlee, which will complement boatyard development, supporting skilled
jobs in the marine sector in Mount's Bay.</p>
<p>"Based upon MDL's experience at its other sites, MDL invests
for the long-term operation of marinas with an extensive training
programme for all its employees and has been recognised as an Investor
in People since 1997."
</p>
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