A NEW park and ride facility in Penzance is needed to reduce the current "adverse impact" created by employees commuting into Penzance, Cornwall Council said.
The £1.2 million transport scheme was one of the Section 106 planning conditions imposed by the authority on Sainsbury's to build a new superstore on the heliport site in Eastern Green.
But the community benefit has come under fire from people in Penzance who feel a park and ride would not help mitigate the impact on town centre retail outlets of a third large superstore.
Talking at the council's strategic planning committee meeting last month, the former chief executive of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company, Charlie Cartwright, said: "We do not need a park and ride, there's ample parking in Penzance.
"The chamber of commerce are supporting this but all the retailers we are talking to do not support this."
But Cornwall Council said the need for a park and ride was identified during the preparation works for the economic framework for Penzance and Newlyn which, in turn, informs the town framework.
Impact
A spokesman for the council said: "The purpose of the park and ride facility on the heliport site is to reduce the current adverse impact created by employees commuting into Penzance and then parking all day within residential areas close to the town and employment areas.
"The site already benefits from a frequent bus service which also serves the proposed St Erth park and ride but there may be scope to enhance the frequency and timing of these services in the morning and evening to increase the attractiveness of the Penzance site."
The council also said the proposal was complementary to the St Erth scheme, which functions as a local transport hub and which will primarily be a rail-based park and ride service.
A spokesman added: "The Sainsbury's store park and ride will be of benefit to those employees and shoppers who travel into Penzance from the Helston area along the A39."
Other community benefits being aided by Sainsbury's include free or subsidised town centre parking.