The Cornwall We Want

What are your hopes and fears for the future?

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  Quality of life.

  by Jane michell, over 6 years ago

  I have enjoyed and been reminded of how beautifull the place where I live can be without the sounds and smells of various kinds of transport. The birds are louder and the smells are sweeter the skies are cleaner and people communicated more.

  With this in mind this is what I would like to see:

  Much less use of cars (I would like to stop using mine. However this is not possible at the moment due to lack of any alternative). We need a much better transport system with a fleets of small people-carrier type vehicles ferrying people to their... Continue reading

  I have enjoyed and been reminded of how beautifull the place where I live can be without the sounds and smells of various kinds of transport. The birds are louder and the smells are sweeter the skies are cleaner and people communicated more.

  With this in mind this is what I would like to see:

  Much less use of cars (I would like to stop using mine. However this is not possible at the moment due to lack of any alternative). We need a much better transport system with a fleets of small people-carrier type vehicles ferrying people to their destinations. I am horrified by the noise generated by planes and helicopters taking tourists to the Scillies (15 last Friday and I stopped counting) and I really believe that these trips should be curtailed because they are at the expense of the people who live here and they destroy what the countryside has to offer to us and very much to the detriment of holiday makers In West Penwith.

  I would also like to see much better planning for new build estates so that car parking is carefully planned, soft landscaping is included, wind tunnels are not created and the inhabitants have a view not of their car but of a green area. They should also include good bus links to major towns. Estates should become places where people are proud to live therefore take care of them and the surroundings.

  A reduction in business rates for high street properties.

  Better management of tourism. Public lavatories should always be open and managed.

  An end to solar panels in fields and an huge increase of solar panels on flat roofs in industrial estates and within built up areas.

  A general policy where the countryside is valued for what it can be not for what can be taken away from it. For example the habit of cutting kerbside vegetation on lanes during summer and autumn is truly horrific for wildlife. They are important wildlife corridors and should be cherished.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
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  we can live slower and greener

  by dorr, over 6 years ago

  our towns in Cornwall are so set up for cars alone. I think the lockdown has shown how this needn't be the case anymore. The empty streets showed how much space we waste on cars. Post lockdown our attempts at covid friendly streets has actually been laughable cpmpared to so many other places. Our high streets will not compete with online shopping unless we make serious changes to give walking and cycling a chance. We have one, yes one, cycle stand in a town of 10,000 people. We have as many EV chargers as bike stands! We have no car... Continue reading

  our towns in Cornwall are so set up for cars alone. I think the lockdown has shown how this needn't be the case anymore. The empty streets showed how much space we waste on cars. Post lockdown our attempts at covid friendly streets has actually been laughable cpmpared to so many other places. Our high streets will not compete with online shopping unless we make serious changes to give walking and cycling a chance. We have one, yes one, cycle stand in a town of 10,000 people. We have as many EV chargers as bike stands! We have no car share nearby. I drive but prefer to walk and cycle for leisure and short trips to shops if i can, but our streets have been dominated by people, many from out of town, who choose to drive through, often at high speed. If we are to deal with the climate and biodiversity emergency we have to get serious about short trips being easier by walk and cycle than by car. We need to slow traffic in the urban area and villages, even if on the main roads. We need 20mph zones, street trees, edible street spaces, rain gradens to reduce run off and more space to walk or eat al fresco. 2050 net zero is not that far off. Let's do it.
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  A Green way forward

  by truroresident, over 6 years ago

  I am concerned that things may return to the way they were before the lockdown. Already thaee has been a big rise in traffic and many people who were out and about walking and cycling are saying that it has stopped being safe to do these things.

  Of course, people want the ability to travel further afield in their cars/ using public transport, but this should not be at the expense of those using non-motorised methods of getting around.

  
  

  Remember that Cornwall declared a Climate emergency and we have witnessed how quickly air quality was improved and noise levels reduced... Continue reading

  I am concerned that things may return to the way they were before the lockdown. Already thaee has been a big rise in traffic and many people who were out and about walking and cycling are saying that it has stopped being safe to do these things.

  Of course, people want the ability to travel further afield in their cars/ using public transport, but this should not be at the expense of those using non-motorised methods of getting around.

  
  

  Remember that Cornwall declared a Climate emergency and we have witnessed how quickly air quality was improved and noise levels reduced when people were leaving their cars at home. Cornwall council should consider ways to make it easier, safer and more pleasant to walk and cycle.

  
  

  Reduce fuel miles by encouraging more local markets for independent growers to sell their goods.

  
  

  promote the active transport maps for every town.

  Replace all those tricky stiles with kissing gates so that people with slightly less mobility can still access the countryside. (at least on footpaths close to villages and towns)

  
  

  Seek permission from landowners to install permissive paths so that connections can be made with existing rights-of-way to create an integrated countryside network of routes..

  
  

  Get bus companies to install bike carriers. (i remember when some of the buses in Cornwall had these)

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
• Share Lots of sensible suggestions have been made on here. on Facebook Share Lots of sensible suggestions have been made on here. on X (formerly Twitter) Share Lots of sensible suggestions have been made on here. on Linkedin Email Lots of sensible suggestions have been made on here. link

  Lots of sensible suggestions have been made on here.

  over 6 years ago

  I agree with a lot of what has been said here. There is a lot that has been suggested that could help us all. The recent events have shown us the value of community and food security. However I have particularly noticed the clearer air, even in a place where the air is normally considered clear. I think we all would really appreciate safer cycling and walking, particularly on the smaller roads and lanes. Now the traffic has come back, I no longer feel safe. I used to cycle about many years ago, before the numbers of visitors in cars... Continue reading

  I agree with a lot of what has been said here. There is a lot that has been suggested that could help us all. The recent events have shown us the value of community and food security. However I have particularly noticed the clearer air, even in a place where the air is normally considered clear. I think we all would really appreciate safer cycling and walking, particularly on the smaller roads and lanes. Now the traffic has come back, I no longer feel safe. I used to cycle about many years ago, before the numbers of visitors in cars thing really took off, but stopped after too many scary moments. I think with the increase in cycle touring as well as the clean air and health benefits, if more could be done to help make it safer when not in a car, that could benefit us all. Also secure cycle parking at shopping areas and places like beaches could help promote cycle travel.
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  Dont let Cornwall shoot itself in the foot

  over 6 years ago

  During lockdown many of us had a rare opportunity to stop and smell the roses! To reflect and appreciate the wonderful county we all live in. Our natural environment and wildlife provides such a valuable part in improving our standard of living and wellbeing. My feeling coming out of lockdown is that we need the Council and our leaders in Cornwall to value this natural environment and our open spaces, beaches, coast and creeks. In pursuit of economic development, we seem to have lost sight of the fact that the reason we have a high standard of living, our natural... Continue reading

  During lockdown many of us had a rare opportunity to stop and smell the roses! To reflect and appreciate the wonderful county we all live in. Our natural environment and wildlife provides such a valuable part in improving our standard of living and wellbeing. My feeling coming out of lockdown is that we need the Council and our leaders in Cornwall to value this natural environment and our open spaces, beaches, coast and creeks. In pursuit of economic development, we seem to have lost sight of the fact that the reason we have a high standard of living, our natural environment, is at threat from continued development and increased in-migration.

  Cornwall is a valuable asset to the UK and it is essential as a holiday destination for future generations to enjoy but its value is only protected if it is not over developed. Current blanket targets for house construction should not be applied in Cornwall. We are rapidly heading to a point where Cornwall is no longer a rural county but instead becomes a sprawling coastal city.

  In these days of social media Cornwall is being aggressively marketed like never before to aspirational people, who are envious of our coastline, lifestyle and open spaces. Magazines like Cornwall Life and Cornwall Today, and Luxury estate agents showcase Cornwall as a luxury that everyone should strive to own a piece of. We are the victims of our own success.

  Of course, we have to be realistic, we can’t pull up a drawbridge or apply a strict entry policy like Australia has done but we need to apply common sense in future years to prevent the rampant destruction of our county, and that will take bold leadership and radical legislation.

  New homes should be built that are good quality and are affordable for local people. They must have decent sized gardens and windows and be well insulated and ideally heated using ground heat storage or hot rocks energy.

  New build houses should only be available to buy to people with a genuine connection to Cornwall i.e. born here, lived and worked here for more than 5 years or having close relatives living here. Or those moving down here to set up businesses that will employ local people. A much higher percentage of new builds must be affordable.

  We don’t need more second home ownership. Houses are for people to live in, not to profit from. This should be heavily taxed and holiday letting (including air b and b) should be prohibited so that landlords are forced to offer their accommodation to local people at reasonable rents.

  A grip needs to be taken on our planning department. It is disgraceful how many planning applications are turned down by Cornwall Council and then over-turned by appeal to Bristol court. The current trend of buying perfectly functional houses and demolishing them and putting up massive ugly oversized new properties is a real threat to Cornwall’s valuable coastline and countryside and clearly our planning department is not in control of this.

  We need proper jobs for Cornish people and fortunately now we have the internet many jobs allow you to work from wherever you like, (Coronavirus has demonstrated to more people than ever that this is the case) there have never been so many opportunities in Cornwall but this is also the reason we are seeing massive in-migration to our county as people who previously would have had to live in the city can work remotely from where ever they like.

  I am really encouraged by the Councils approach to climate change and the fact that they have declared a climate emergency. In Cornwall we are fortunate to have abundant wind, wave, tidal and solar energy to tap into and with hot rocks close to the surface we need to prioritise setting up geothermal power stations with surplus heat used for industry and heating our homes.

  Our county has everything it needs to become an net exporter of renewable energy however we need to be able to export it to the national grid and it is a disgrace that our current connection to the rest of the UK is apparently not fit for purpose (according to a good friend who works for Western Power Distribution) we don’t have sufficient capacity to export our surplus power which is ridiculous.

  We need to use this potential to lead the way in terms of adoption of electric cars. To become a carbon neutral county we need to electrify our bus system and incentivise and provide charging points for rapid uptake of electric cars. Charging points need to be provided rapidly particularly for road side parking which is a huge challenge.

  We need to be ambitious with our targets to manage and protect the natural environment. There is a strong argument for making the whole of Cornwall a National Park which would allow landscape scale management and enhancements to make sure nature is allowed to thrive in future years. Our seas urgently need better protection with a network of highly protected areas situated in optimal places for rapid recovery as decided by experts, which will benefit not only marine life but to local fishers who will see their future far more secure and seas more productive. Cornwall IFCA needs to be far better resourced and given powers to create bylaws far more efficiently and independently or this wont be realistically achieved.

  
  

  Cornwall needs to be put back on course. We live in the greatest place on earth and lets make sure we make the most of it and don’t ruin it.

  Tourism will always continue but it needs to be kept at a level where it doesn’t ruin the standard of living of locals and the environment, Cornwall’s adaptability and ingenuity needs to be focussed at renewable green energy and environmental protection, leading the way as we work our way out of the global climate emergency.
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  Pick up your litter

  over 6 years ago
  

  A bag of litter collected on a short walk round Boscolla with my grandchildren. Surely we can do better than this. I suspect most of the people are locals.

  A bag of litter collected on a short walk round Boscolla with my grandchildren. Surely we can do better than this. I suspect most of the people are locals.
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  Comms #2

  by SandraandBella, over 6 years ago

  Sorry J.J.G. I wrote to Breusyas saying I am a new student of Cornish and didn't understand what he/she had said and asked them to write it in English. At least I think that's what I wrote!

  Sorry J.J.G. I wrote to Breusyas saying I am a new student of Cornish and didn't understand what he/she had said and asked them to write it in English. At least I think that's what I wrote!
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  Clean Air Around Schools

  by Tony in Truro, over 6 years ago

  Most people are aware that motor vehicles are a major cause of pollution. It is also a fact that being exposed to car exhausts causes increases in asthma in children.

  School drop off and pick up times generate heavy traffic which means air in the vicinity of schools becomes polluted.

  The Cornwall Council could play a role by creating Clean Air Zones around schools. Signs erected near schools could, for instance, say “Clean Air Zone - Please switch off your engine when stationary “.

  Also the Council could help fund and promote “safe air pedestrian routes” for use by walking... Continue reading

  Most people are aware that motor vehicles are a major cause of pollution. It is also a fact that being exposed to car exhausts causes increases in asthma in children.

  School drop off and pick up times generate heavy traffic which means air in the vicinity of schools becomes polluted.

  The Cornwall Council could play a role by creating Clean Air Zones around schools. Signs erected near schools could, for instance, say “Clean Air Zone - Please switch off your engine when stationary “.

  Also the Council could help fund and promote “safe air pedestrian routes” for use by walking children and parents.

  Improving air quality is not something to think about another day - action is needed now.
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  More industry and less tourism

  over 6 years ago

  The pandemic has highlighted Cornwall's over dependence on tourism and second homes. Continuing to promote these is not sustainable and Cornwall Council should take a lead in moving our economy away from low wage, hospitality jobs towards high skilled, high wage jobs in creative and manufacturing industries.

  Peter Parker has already voiced many of the problems which accompany a continued reliance on tourism and second homes and I endorse what he has said.

  Several things have changed which should be seized upon by Cornwall Council to move our economy in the right direction. The most significant change is that technology... Continue reading

  The pandemic has highlighted Cornwall's over dependence on tourism and second homes. Continuing to promote these is not sustainable and Cornwall Council should take a lead in moving our economy away from low wage, hospitality jobs towards high skilled, high wage jobs in creative and manufacturing industries.

  Peter Parker has already voiced many of the problems which accompany a continued reliance on tourism and second homes and I endorse what he has said.

  Several things have changed which should be seized upon by Cornwall Council to move our economy in the right direction. The most significant change is that technology now allows people to work outside the major conurbations. Also we now have a University in Falmouth many of whose graduates want to continue to work in the area.

  Silicon Valley flourished because it was based around a university (Stanford) and was in a part of the US which has a climate which was attractive to people. Cornwall is similarly placed.

  What should the Council do?

  Firstly the Council should stop incentivising second home ownership and the creation of more holiday homes many of which are owned by people who do not live in Cornwall. A start might be to increase significantly the Council charge on properties what are not permanently lived in by their owners. A test might be that the home has to be the individual's principal residence as recorded by HMRC. Do we really want every town to be like Salcombe; completely dead in the winter. Arwenack street in Falmouth is well on the way; filled with eateries which struggle to make a living even in the summer and change hands frequently.

  Secondly the Council should work with the university to target industries and companies to encourage them to move to Cornwall. There are already a surprising number of world class companies based here, talking to these may suggest others that might be enticed to Cornwall.

  Carefully choose a few appropriate trade fairs and set up a stand to encourage companies to consider relocating. Employees want a better live work balance and we can offer a very attractive lifestyle.

  The tourism business in Cornwall shows that people love what we have. We need to sell this to wealth creators who can move their businesses and staff here permanently. Stop promoting Cornwall as a place to take a summer holiday and start promoting it as a place to live, work and grow.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
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  Natural beauty

  by Futurista, over 6 years ago

  I would love the Council to follow up on its commitment to climate action by creating schemes to encourage and support more "green" business and technology in Cornwall. This is the economic growth area for the future, and could create many high-silled non-seasonal jobs, which Cornwall desperately needs. Cornwall could become a centre of excellence for ecological research and innovation, and at the same time improve Cornwall's care of nature and wildlife, energy use, etc. Other good areas to grow jobs would be science and medicine - these are high-skilled but non-polluting. I also think there should be a small... Continue reading

  I would love the Council to follow up on its commitment to climate action by creating schemes to encourage and support more "green" business and technology in Cornwall. This is the economic growth area for the future, and could create many high-silled non-seasonal jobs, which Cornwall desperately needs. Cornwall could become a centre of excellence for ecological research and innovation, and at the same time improve Cornwall's care of nature and wildlife, energy use, etc. Other good areas to grow jobs would be science and medicine - these are high-skilled but non-polluting. I also think there should be a small tourist tax to help fund local services and subsidise the excessive water bills that Cornish people pay for beach cleaning. Many Cornish residents are on low incomes but have to pay extremely high water bills, and I really don't think tourists would mind paying a small additional charge, especially if they know it goes towards keeping the beaches pristine.