Cornish Social & Economic Research Group

» What CoSERG Thinks » Press releases » Heartlands ~ taking the heart out of community

The news that the has been acclaimed by its supporters as a 'dream come true'… with the reclamation of 7.5 hectares of some of the most derelict industrial land in Cornwall…’ Yet such a statement ignores some fundamental issues - that much of the land is not derelict, that greenfields will be built on and the proposal will obliterate more of Pool’s heritage.

Oddly enough, part of the Heartlands area is already green, part of a wedge of old farmland not derelict industrial land, adjacent to Pool. So in reality, of the 28 acres in Heartlands (including Heartlands housing), under a half is brownfield, the other half is greenfield (which will be divided equally between residential and office development and an urban park).

Brownfield, Pool

Much is made of community needs, yet the people of Pool are not the intended beneficiaries. The housing will help to meet government targets for more people to move to the area, the park will depend on and encourage visitors to drive to Pool. Rather than reflecting the rich industrial heritage of the area, what remains will be obliterated. The new, high density, housing will consist of 2 to 4 storey blocks, hardly in keeping with local vernacular architecture.

The Public Accounts Committee report on another hyped ‘grand project’, the Thames Gateway. There they highlight a potential problem of regeneration leading to increases in land and house prices with the ‘risk that local residents may be priced out of their local community if insufficient affordable housing is provided.’ A timely reminder of the dangers of market led, quango run regeneration.

A golden opportunity has been lost to make the best use of the resources of the area to directly benefit the people of Pool. Once again spin replacing fact, reality conveniently ignored, a chance for a better future squandered.