St Austell plans reach another milestone

St Austell plans reach another milestone

The new development is designed by Edward Cullinan Architects

The multi-million pound redevelopment of St Austell's town centre has reached another significant milestone.

Restormel Borough Council's planning committee unanimously voted to grant the scheme outline planning permission on Thursday evening.

The decision has been welcomed by the South West Regional Development Agency (RDA), one of the key partners in the scheme, and paves the way for the detailed design work to progress.

The RDA has spent £5m purchasing a number of 1960s buildings in and around Aylmer Square in the town.

'Excellent news'

The majority of them will be demolished and replaced with a new development designed by award-winning Edward Cullinan Architects.

The scheme will feature two new squares, shops, pubs, restaurants, office space, up to 50 apartments, a 500-space car park, cinema and community building.

"The outline planning approval is excellent news and means we can now move ahead with detailed plans and the demolitions in the coming months," said Miles Carden, from the RDA.

Detailed application

"Council members have asked us to look again at proposals to demolish the existing cinema and replace it with a brand new facility and investigate whether the old cinema could be retained and renovated.

"I have instructed our architects to look at how feasible that would be, and what impact it would have on the rest of our plans.''

The town centre redevelopment is a multi-million scheme involving a partnership between the RDA, Restormel Borough Council and private developer David McLean Developments Ltd.

A detailed planning application is expected by the autumn.