Planning reforms to accelerate £150 million redevelopment of Falmouth Docks
The overhaul could help to attract up to 200,000 cruise visitors annually by 2030
The Government has announced planning reforms to accelerate the £150 million redevelopment of Falmouth Docks.
However, a decision still has to be made by Cornwall Council as to whether the major overhaul will go ahead or not.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has said that Falmouth Docks has become the latest major infrastructure project to benefit from a lead environmental regulator – reducing delays and speeding up planning approvals.
However, environmental campaigners opposed to the plans are unlikely to be happy with the move.
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) will act as a single point of contact for the developers, slashing red tape while protecting Cornwall’s precious natural environment, says the Government department.
A spokesperson for DEFRA said: “Government reforms under the Plan for Change mean skilled employment, vital new infrastructure and millions in investment are now within reach for communities across Cornwall. Falmouth’s £150 million dock redevelopment – poised to create hundreds of jobs, support homegrown clean energy and unleash economic growth across the South West – will set sail through calmer seas thanks to government reforms upholding environmental protections while slashing bureaucracy.”
The major overhaul involves repairing critical dock structures to accommodate larger vessels. This could help to attract up to 200,000 cruise visitors annually by 2030, injecting £13 million into the local economy and supporting over 350 tourism-related jobs, while doubling Falmouth’s cargo and freight capacity.
The MMO will take the helm as lead environmental regulator, working with Natural England and the Environment Agency to provide streamlined, joined-up advice. DEFRA says closer collaboration will prevent delays and reduce unnecessary costs, while upholding the highest environmental standards to safeguard Cornwall’s unique and precious natural environment.
The docks’ managing director, Mike Spicer, said: “APCL A&P Falmouth is a centre of excellence for the Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary, offshore vessels, cruise ships and ferries. The facility is also a busy working port, handling over 100,000 tonnes of product annually and welcoming 56 cruise calls this year.
“APCL welcomes today’s news that the MMO will act as a single point of contact for planning applications. The acceleration of planning process for development applications like ours will enable us to significantly enhance the services we can offer to our defence, offshore and cruise customers and help fulfil Cornwall’s ambitious floating offshore wind agenda.”
The planning application for the Falmouth Docks redevelopment project was validated by Cornwall Council in April.
The application is currently under review by the council and a decision has yet to be made.
The MMO is coordinating with the council to ensure alignment between the marine licence determination and terrestrial planning decision, as both are interdependent.
The public consultation for the marine licence closed on September 4. The MMO is now reviewing the responses.
The plans haven’t been welcomed by everyone.
Members of Ocean Rebellion staged a protest in Falmouth harbour last month, wearing gas masks to symbolise what they say is the toxic threat posed by the proposed redevelopment.
Opponents believe the proposal could lead to hundreds of thousands of tonnes of toxic sludge being dumped at sea. Environmental campaigners fear dredging will also have a detrimental impact on the unique marine habitat within the Fal Estuary, with one oyster expert saying it could lead to a ‘catastrophic disaster’.
The plans include extending the existing Queens Wharf westwards to allow larger vessels – such as Excellence Class cruise ships up to 345 metres in length – to berth.
The application states that new on-site facilities for assembling floating offshore wind power structures would firmly position Cornwall at the heart of an industry projected to contribute £45 million to the UK economy and create 2,000 clean energy jobs nationwide.
Meanwhile, connecting a disused rail line with new bulk import/export facilities is said to have the potential to unlock major opportunities for Cornish lithium mining and battery manufacturing, further driving local investment and innovation.