Multi-million pound investments will break ground across Penzance this winter. The first to start will be major regeneration works at Coinagehall Street, the revitalisation of St Anthony’s Gardens and carpark, and sustainable travel enhancements.
It’s all part of a £37 million combined funding pot from the government’s Town Deal and Future High Streets Fund and Cornwall Council, which is helping deliver Penzance’s ambition to be a town that works for everyone and to make the town centre a more attractive place for people to shop, work, visit and live.
At the heart of this investment will be high quality, affordable apartments and mews houses for rent and sale to local people and commercial properties to create a thriving seafront. The Art Deco inspired development and backdrop to St Anthony’s Gardens will take its place on the former Taylors Garage site.
Demolition of buildings on the site has already started with internal stripping out, and now work to disconnect utilities and clear the site begins.
Revitalising St Anthony’s Gardens will see the creation of an open and welcoming garden setting and reconnection with Coinagehall Street via step-free access.
St Anthony’s car park will be remodeled. This will include increasing the size of parking spaces to modern requirements, installing several disabled spaces and re-purposing stone from the Gardens to enhance the car park boundaries, and planting.
Work is progressing on the development and delivery of the Sustainable Travel Network which aims to transform travel in and around the town, creating a fully sustainable network of safe and accessible walking, cycling and functional green and open urban spaces. Consultation on the proposals for Market Jew Street and Market Place will take place towards the end of October, with work on improving pedestrian access to Newlyn Green across New Road due to begin mid-November.
Everyone who travels around the area is asked to plan if you can, try to leave the car at home, and be patient, safe and kind as works get under way.
Works to plan your journeys around are:
- From October 28 Coinagehall Street will close between Battery Road and Coinagehall Mews
- November 4 St Anthony’s car park will close, reopening March 2025
- November 18 to December 13 one section of Quay Street will close
- November 22 Coinagehall Street will reopen between Green Street and Coinagehall Mews
- November 20-28 Coinagehall Street between Battery Road and Green Street will reopen for pedestrians and access only, as part of the new development
Businesses and Jubilee Pool will remain open.
Martin Tucker, Chair of Penzance Town Deal said: “It is going to be a very busy time across the whole of Penzance for the next 19 months, and I appreciate we are asking everyone to dig deep for this final and significant phase of delivering new homes, enhanced public spaces, and safer and greener travel connecting the town to the coast. With so much to be delivered over the unavoidable same period, our patience, planning and persistence will pay off.”
Further down the line, works at Penzance Harbour will include the demolition of the Boston Shed by early 2025. Again, partners will work together to minimise the need for road closures.
