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Building work on a new fish market and other buildings could start as
early as next year.Regeneration plans for Newlyn Harbour have taken a
big step forward with an agreement to create the final blueprint for
the new market and units and it is hoped that the plans will be
completed by September.
"This
is really great news for Newlyn," says chairman of the Newlyn Fish
Industry Forum, Michael Galsworthy. "The harbour has huge potential if
we simply take the time to plan for the future and make the very best
of what we have got here."
The scheme to build a £7 million fish
market has been approved by funders, pending the blueprint in September
which will give final dimensions and the detailed business case for the
building.
"We have got a finite amount of money and a limited
time available to bid for it - which focuses the mind wonderfully!"
says vice-chairman of Newlyn Pier and Harbour Commissioners, Douglas
Williams. The Newlyn Harbour Commissioners are working with architects
Pringle Richards and Sharrat, who drew up the initial plans for the
fish market.
In past years Newlyn has produced a revenue of up
to £25 million per year. Although this figure has dropped to almost £15
million in recent years, it is still one of the main sources of income
in West Cornwall.
"People sometimes question the future of the
fishing, but Newlyn is famous for the quality and variety of its fish,"
says director of Seafood Cornwall, Nathan de Rozarieux.
"While
there are fish in the sea, there is going to be a future for this
harbour - and it is important for us to fight for that."
The
development plans will help keep Newlyn at the forefront of the
industry. The fish market will have a low carbon footprint and will
take advantage of the latest technology to conserve energy and maximise
efficiency.
"The architects are paying close attention to the
running costs, which are enormous on a scheme of this size," says chair
of the Technical Advisory Group, Pat French.
"They are looking
at Voltaic tiles on the roof, solar panels, wind generators, heat
sinks, thermal mass blocks and air blast curtains - even converting the
heat generated by people working in the market."
The new fish market includes the plan for a large open space around the Keel Alley area, which might have other community uses.
The
September timetable has been set in order to take advantage of the
final tranche of European Grants available from Objective One.
"Things
are definitely on the move and it is more important than ever before
that we all pull together to get the best results," says Newlyn harbour
master, Andrew Munson.
Negotiations continue on the other parts
of the regeneration strategy. The extension to the South Pier and
reclamation of land at Sandy Cove are both part of the effort to combat
rising sea levels and tidal surges.
"We are thinking ahead to
the next 25 years and beyond," says Fisheries project officer, Tony
Woodhams. "Everything we do will be designed for the future - we are
taking pains to make our plans realistic, affordable and achievable."
article copyright THE CORNISHMAN
comment:
News that building work on a new fish market in Newlyn could start
within 12 months is a further encouraging sign in the regeneration of
the port.Among all those involved in the ongoing work - harbour
commissioners, members of Newlyn Fish Industry Forum, the technical
advisory group and other members of the local community - there seems
to be a shared vision of how to give Newlyn the best chance of a
profitable future over the next 25 years as well as the expertise to
know how to get the necessary funding packages and permissions.
There
has also been full consultation at every stage of the process with the
port's residents to ensure widespread support for what is going on.
A
new pontoon mooring system for fishing boats, costing £2 million, has
already been installed while the potential development of Sandy Cove
lies ahead, together with the strengthening of the port's harbour walls.
Much has already been achieved and the prospects for the future are bright.
As harbour master Andrew Munson says: "Things are definitely on the move."
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