AMBITIOUS plans to replace an antiquated West Cornwall fish market with a state-of-the-art centre have been dealt a body blow after a multi-million grant was knocked back for the second time.

The £7 million scheme would have given Newlyn one of the best fish markets in the country and an iconic building in the prominent harbourside location.

But the Marine and Fisheries Agency, who had been asked to stump up a third of the cost, have turned the application down – again – saying the business case simply isn't strong enough.

The rejection has brought deep divisions in the Newlyn community into sharp focus. Although permission was granted by the former Penwith District Council, and widely hailed as the town's best shot at an economic recovery, the planning process has been fraught.

Many fishermen believe the proposal was needlessly extravagant, sacrificing the function of a fish market to the expense of a landmark building laden with unnecessary luxuries.

In April, in a letter to Newlyn Pier and Harbour Commissioners, W Stevenson and Sons, the port's largest fishing fleet, said it would not be entering any partnership or business relationship with any other market operator. The company said it believed the proposal was not viable.

Paul Trebilcock, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers' Organisation, which is based in Newlyn, said there was a sense of frustration that the plans had been thrown out twice.

"If money was no object, we would have it looking lovely," he said. "But first and foremost the property must be a fish market. "The problem is the building itself. The proposal had a copper roof and office space, which is all above and beyond the requirements of the fishing industry in Newlyn. But, at the end of the day, it would be the fishing industry which was paying for the building through the charges."

He said the CFPO was "disappointed but not surprised" to hear the grant had been rejected. And he called for a fundamental rethink of the plan before money offered by funding authorities was withdrawn.

"This has twice gone to the MFA and twice been rejected," he said. "The fear we have is if this continues to happen and the grant money won't be there forever."

David Stevens, skipper of the Crystal Sea, said many Newlyn fishermen were exasperated by aspects of the project.

Mr Stevens, who along with about a dozen other fishermen, lands at Newlyn but prefers to take his catch 80 miles away to Plymouth Fish Market, said the scale of the development was unnecessary.

"Fishermen are very disillusioned. They feel they have not been properly listened to. It's a mess," he said.

St Ives MP Andrew George said the news from the MFA was "very worrying." He said replacing the current fish market, which is outdated and does not have refrigeration facilities, was vital to the town's future. "It is what we should be working towards. It would be great for the town, great for the Cornish economy, great for Cornish cuisine and great for the Cornish brand name," he added.

The Marine and Fisheries Agency's grants panel for the European Fisheries Fund turned down the application made by the Newlyn Harbour Commissioners, the unelected panel who control the harbour business.

Chairman of the MFA panel, Ray Hedley, said the £2.29 million bid was refused because the business case focused purely on a new building, rather than a refurbishment project.

Andrew Munson, clerk of NPHC, was reluctant to comment on the failure of the application as he has not been officially notified, but said: "I have not heard official reasons for the application being knocked back so it's difficult for me to say anything."

article copyright WESTERN MORNING NEWS

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