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The seasonal ebb and flow of tourists in Cornwall, while vital to our economy, leave deeply felt and hard-hitting impacts. As the county empties of visitors, so too does a great deal of its housing stock, writes Alex Duff.
September sees the ’17-week winter let’ adverts re-emerge, marking the start of another unsustainable cycle that annually forces yet more locals out of the communities they cherish.
In a bid to help answer this pressing community issue, Treveth, who describe themselves as a housing developer with a difference, visited St Austell this week to discuss the redevelopment of the former council site at Pondhu on Penwinnick Road.
“We’re here to help people who live in Cornwall, who have grown up in Cornwall, to stay in the area they love,” Emma Rodgers, Treveth’s Senior Development Manager, tells CHAOS Radio’s Tom Howe and Alex Duff, who attended their open day.
Words as empty as many properties in Fowey in mid-November, or a genuine commitment which offers the same promise as the first buds peeking through our Cornish hedgerow in spring?
Who are Treveth?
Established five years ago with ‘BCorp’ certification, Treveth claims to ‘bring a fresh approach to new homes in Cornwall’ and help to answer the county’s housing crisis.
If you’re not familiar with ‘BCorp’ status, the ‘B’ is basically for ‘better’. While the BCorp badge isn’t a guarantee, it does signal a company’s commitment to be about more than profit – to also be socially and environmentally conscious.
CHAOS Radio for example, as part of The CHAOS Group, is super-proud to also hold BCorp status – with our focus on broadcasting a diverse mix of local voices and community news throughout St Austell and surrounding areas.
Pondhu isn’t Treveth’s first development. Their completed sites in Bodmin, Tolvaddon and Newquay, as well as ongoing projects in Liskeard and Redruth, showcase their commitment. “All our current active sites have 100 percent success rate of our properties going to people from the immediate parish,” Emma proudly states.
Proposed Development at Pondhu
The plan for Pondhu is for 99 homes ranging from one to four-bedroom apartments, cottages and townhouses, supplemented by a small commercial village centre with a few flexible-use units.
With the local long-term rental market so difficult, the large majority of the homes developed at Pondhu will be for open market rent to locals, the rest will be sold either through affordable housing or on the open market, again for locals.
Emma also highlighted how as a BCorp, Treveth is working to be at the forefront of sustainable construction. “We don’t use fossil fuels on our sites,” she said, adding, “all our homes are net zero ready to achieve more energy efficient homes for our tenants.”
The site itself, already rich in greenery, offers a unique advantage. “It usually takes a long time for a development to establish itself,” says Emma, “whereas we’ve got a lovely established setting here that we can work with. We’re going to look to try to retain as much of that as possible”.
The developer will also strive to enhance the leafy setting already there, by including edible landscaping, which includes things like little orchards, allotments and edible planting.
The future of Pondhu House
The future of the locally significant but now vacant, Pondhu House, is still under consideration.
“We are looking to refurbish it and bring it back into use,” says Emma, “but the use for that remains unknown at the moment. It hinges on viability and the amount of work it’s going to take to bring it back into use.”
That viability is complicated by the building’s Grade II listed status and the colony of bats currently residing in the roof, something Treveth is collaborating with heritage consultants and ecologists on.
Have your say on Treveth’s proposals for Pondhu
Treveth is proactively seeking community input early in the planning stages. If you missed the recent open day, there is still time to participate.
The public consultation will remain open until September 27th, and feedback gathered will directly influence the project’s design phase.
A follow-up open day is planned for November to showcase the evolving designs. For more details on the proposals and to submit your feedback, visit www.treveth.co.uk/penwinnick-rd.
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