Planning for the Role and Future of Smaller Settlements in

Perranporth Testing Area Report

Revised

c4g, Roger Tym & Partners, Rural Innovation

December 2009

www.c4g.me.uk www.tymconsult.com www.ruralinnovation.co.uk Contents 1 Introduction...... 1 1.1 This research...... 1 1.2 Critical Context - climate change – a new frame for everything...... 1 1.3 A structure for thinking and policy...... 3 2 The testing area...... 5 3 Current position ...... 7 3.1 Living within environmental limits...... 7 3.2 Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society...... 9 3.3 Achieving a Sustainable Economy...... 14 4 Sustainability state and potential...... 16 4.2 Current State...... 16 4.3 Potential...... 17 5 Workshop summary...... 18 1 Introduction

1.1 This research

1.1.1 This study is about the smaller settlements in Cornwall, and will inform the forthcoming Core Strategy of the Local Development Framework (LDF) – the replacement for the Structure Plan and the Local Plans. This, in principle, covers all of the towns other than /Pool/, Falmouth-Penryn, and . These are recognised as Strategically Significant Cities and Towns in the Regional Spatial Strategy, which leaves the rest of the Cornish towns and villages to be covered by locally-based policy. 1.1.2 It has been agreed with that this study will deal with settlements identified as of local significance. This leaves all of the remaining towns and villages with the exception of , and which have been identified as Sub-Regionally Significant Towns. So the study’s reach extends to some of the very smallest villages and hamlets in the county. This is because the majority of the County's population (64%) live outside Camborne/Pool/Redruth, Falmouth-Penryn, Truro and the other larger towns (Newquay, Penzance and St Austell, . and ). 1.1.3 This work is intended to provide this by examining a range of available data to see what we can find out about the sustainability of smaller settlements, and how new development and other measures might make then more sustainable in future. 1.1.4 Part of this work involves testing areas, of which Perranporth is one, where data is brought together for the settlements in the testing area, and the testing area as a whole, to provide and assessment of its current sustainability, and to help determine its future sustainability potential. We anticipate that there will not be a 'one size fits all' solution for the Cornish smaller settlements. Conditions vary across the county and policy and decisions will need to take account of this. For this reason the nine testing areas have been picked to be different from one another. 1.1.5 The testing meeting is an opportunity to: • check that the data we have collected is right / makes sense • fill in understanding that the data cannot provide but which local people might be able to • consider together the sustainability potential of the area as a whole and settlements within it • identify any particular opportunities or challenges the settlements or area have 1.1.6 Information from the meeting will be fed back into the main report, which will be finished by the end of November. The report will be taken into account as the Council works from that point forward to put together the LDF. This is a research report to inform Cornwall Council's planning work. The following reflects our analysis, for discussion. It will be for the Council to decide how the discussions and conclusions from this work will be used to develop Council policy and plans.

1.2 Critical Context - climate change – a new frame for everything

1.2.1 The Climate Change Act (2008) set the target for a 80% cut in Greenhouse Gasses (GHG) by 2050. More recently (July 2009) we have had the first national GHG budget in support of the Act, contained in the climate change White Paper, The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan, and a suite of supporting strategies (transport, economy) and evidence.

1 1.2.2 It is very clear from this raft of national policies and programmes that by 2020 the ways in which we harvest and use energy, how our homes and workplaces are supplied with energy, heated and can conserve energy, and our means and patterns of transport will be quite different from those we know today and the trends which have led to then over the preceding years. What is not yet clear is what this will specifically mean for smaller settlements in rural areas – market towns and villages and therefore much of Cornwall. 1.2.3 Part of the job of this research is to start working this out. The LDF period lasts to 2026 – six years after 2020 – which means that this LDF has to be a 'Low Carbon Transition' LDF - moving us firmly towards and era of much reduced GHG emissions, with greater reach than the national strategies. In addition, for planning, the Supplement to Planning Policy Statement 1 - Planning and Climate Change (2007) has already filled in some detail. 1.2.4 The main way in which rural areas and settlements differ from urban ones is in terms of transport use. Rural residents have more cars, use them more often and travel longer distances in them1. This is a 'chicken and egg' issue – the real cost of motoring has been in decline for decades (see graph overleaf), and continues to do so. Rural settlements have lost services, facilities and employment sites while their populations have grown2. The cheapness of the private car has brought greater mobility to rural households, and changed their behaviour. They are now travelling further to work and to access services. Rural residents have become increasingly dependent on high mobility – but does it have to be this way? The Real Cost of Motoring – Transport Trends 2008

1 National Travel Survey series, DfT 2 State of the Countryside series, CRC

2 1.2.5 However the new national strategies, The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan and Low Carbon Transport: A Greener Future both make it clear that transport emissions need to be reduced (they are currently increasing). This, then, raises stiff challenges for rural areas. Fundamentally, this means that the high levels of personal and other mobility currently characterising rural life will have to be reduced, starting soon and accelerating though the coming decades. So, is this a threat or an opportunity? Rural life has only relatively recently been characterised by high mobility and car-dependence. It is by no means a pre-condition of rural life. The basic sustainability challenge, then, is to maintain and improve the wellbeing of rural communities, and the economies which support them, under new transport conditions where household and businesses can access the things they need without over-reliance on the car and without having to travel too far. This is functional sustainability. Localisation is a term for this. 1.2.6 For this to work it means that smaller settlements, either individually or in groups, will need to contain most of the services, facilities and jobs their populations need, and the low-carbon transport links to join then up. It also means that rural housing markets will need to be more balanced – particularly containing more affordable housing – so that all sorts of people can live close to services, facilities and jobs. 1.2.7 A greater sustainability should strengthen rural communities, not weaken them.

1.3 A structure for thinking and policy

1.3.1 Part of this research project is to think harder about how to deliver greater sustainability to smaller rural settlements. The following is our suggestion for how this might be done. 1.3.2 We have expressed these core issues for planning for smaller settlements in the LDF as a vision and objectives. The vision sets the overall direction. The objectives explain how the vision should be delivered. The vision is set within that of The UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy , which has four leading components: ▪ Living Within Environmental Limits ▪ Ensuring a Strong, Healthy and Just Society ▪ Achieving a Sustainable Economy ▪ Promoting Good Governance . 1.3.3 We have used the first three as governance structures are beyond the direct scope of the LDF. Vision Cornwall's smaller settlements will, either individually or in combination, become functionally sustainable, making their full contribution in the achievement of the national GHG emissions reductions targets, and fostering sustainable communities and economies. Environmental, social and economic localisation are the critical means by which this will be achieved. The objectives are detailed below.

3 Objectives and outcomes for sustainable smaller settlements Objectives Outcomes Full contribution to a 34% cut in Transport Reduced need to travel GHG by 2020 and 80% by 2050 18% reduction in emissions by 2020 Reduced use of private cars Increased walking and cycling Increased public transport use Energy More community / individual renewable energy generation 29% reduction in domestic emissions by CHP schemes Living Within 2020 Energy efficiency / insulation Environmental Limits 14% reduction in workplace emissions by 2020 Maintenance and improvement of local environmental capacity, quality and Landscape management / improvement landscape. Water conservation Management of environmental risks (e.g. flooding) Air quality improvement Flood management Meeting the needs of and Homes Provision of balanced & affordable housing stock providing opportunity for all Meeting the housing needs of all households households – stock and tenure Ensuring a Strong, Promoting well-being Services / Facilities Ensuring local accessibility to a core set of services and Healthy and Just Fostering social cohesion and Access to a core set of services for all facilities (public and private) via low-carbon means Society inclusion households

Fostering strong and stable local Enterprise & Employment Support for land- and environment-based sectors economies to underpin wellbeing Support for enterprise & employment in Provision of broadband and further ICT for and offer opportunity to the sectors and of sizes suited to the Support for the knowledge economy community opportunities and constraints raised by Support for small / micro businesses smaller rural settlements. Provision of premises if needed Live-work Achieving a Local provision of jobs to suit the needs of local households. Sustainable Economy Economic wellbeing Fostering local economic networks to retain income locally. Households able to acquire the housing, Community enterprise. services and goods they need at a cost Support for those employed in low-waged sectors to buy they can afford and which is acceptable goods locally. in environmental and social terms. 2 The Perranporth testing area

2.1.1 The Perranporth testing area falls in the centre of the county, in its most densely populated region, close to Truro and Camborne / Pool / Redruth (CPR). It contains Perranporth and St Agnes, both of which could be seen as either large villages or small towns, and three other villages which were defined in the previous Local Plan: 2001 population Perranporth 3066 St Agnes 2759 Goonhavern 651 Mithian * Bolingey * Rose * * these settlements are too small to calculate populations for from Census data – however they are included in the study as they were identified in previous local plans. Other small settlements in the testing area were not and so have not been included.

2.1.2 None of the smaller villages are large enough to be defined as a Census settlement, which means that they all have populations of under around 300. As they are not possible to define as individual settlements in the data geography we have to sometimes make do with aggregated data representing the testing area as a whole. 2.1.3 The extent of the testing area has been drawn to look at the functional situation which arises when fairly small rural settlements are found so close to larger urban areas. We already know that Truro, CPR and Falmouth/Penryn form the strategic core of Cornwall, with a wide-ranging influence across the county. So what does sustainability mean for smaller settlements here? Are they just part of a larger whole or are they still independent? 2.1.4 The area has been based on a group of Census Output Areas to allow calculations to be made for the area as a whole. It is a starting point and part of our discussions will be to see how functional relationships work in the area. It may be that a different area makes more functional sense if we can justify it. 2.1.5 The questions we are looking at here include: • how sustainable (services, employment, socially) are the towns and villages an, individually, and in groups? • do they, instead, rely on the urban areas? • how will this change by 2026? • how can this be more sustainable by 2026? 2.1.6 These are the sorts of questions the next round of planning, the LDF, has to wrestle with. We would like your help in finding the right answers.

5 Settlements in Perranporth testing area 3 Current position

3.1 Living within environmental limits

3.1.1 The overriding objective here is a full contribution to the national GHG emissions cuts – 34% by 2020, and 80% by 2050. This means a cut of around 42-44% by 2026 – the end of the plan period for the LDF. The rate of anticipated reduction accelerates from 2020 and holds this trajectory for around a decade. This means that by the end of the plan period the most rapid reductions in GHG emissions should be taking place. Forecast strong growth in population will increase the challenge. 3.1.2 Transport is the headline issue here because it is where the greatest differences in emissions between smaller settlements in rural areas and larger, urban areas exist. It is also the only sector for which emissions are still growing. 3.1.3 GHG emissions targets are only available as national budgets at the moment – we have not been able to translate them into local targets. We do, though, have district-based figures from the REAP model3 and DEFRA. The REAP figures are end-user, and the DEFRA ones are source (what this means will be explained at the workshop) and we are seeking ways of reconciling the two. Using them as comparators, though, it is clear that despite the rurality of the Cornwall districts, their emissions are comparable with the whole of the South West, and the UK. Cornwall and comparator GHG emissions

2004 (REAP) 2006 (Defra) TCO2e cap-1 Co2 cap-1 Caradon 16.9 7.1 Carrick 16.7 6.8 Kerrier 16.2 6.2 North Cornwall 17.1 10 Penwith 16.4 5.7 Restormel 16.0 9.9 Cornwall 16.5 7.3 SW 16.7 8.1 UK 16.3 8.6

3.1.4 The sectoral-breakdown figures are intriguing (Carrick and North Cornwall are used as the two ends of the Cornwall spectrum). The distribution of domestic fuels is where the greatest differences are found. Private vehicle fuel use is next.

3 Produced by the Stockholm Environmental Institute and used by the Council.

7 REAP sectoral GHG emissions – some comparators

Tco2e cap-1 REAP 2004 Exeter City Plymouth Carrick N Cornwall Electricity, gas & other fuels distribution 1.37 1.47 1.87 2.07 Direct fuel use in the home (not inc. elec.) 1.27 1.27 1.25 1.26 HOUSING TOTAL 3.53 3.64 4.03 4.24 Railway transport 0.08 0.07 0.07 0.07 Road transport 0.18 0.17 0.16 0.15 Private vehicle fuel use (direct fuel use) 1.23 1.19 1.43 1.50 TRANSPORT TOTAL 3.69 3.52 3.92 4.00 FOOD TOTAL 2.70 2.66 2.89 2.93 CONSUMABLES TOTAL 1.96 1.95 2.11 2.16 PRIVATE SERVICES 1.08 1.05 1.11 1.11 PUBLIC SERVICES 2.13 2.13 2.13 2.13 TOTAL 15.61 16.34 16.70 17.09

3.1.5 We have tried to be more locally specific on emissions by adapting the REAP model, using travel to work and car ownership data. The results are indicative rather than absolute. They show that transport emissions for the testing area as a whole, taking into account commuting distances, are above the Carrick average, with the exception of Goonhaven. Perranporth testing area REAP emissions

Total co2 per cap Transp. co2 per cap Carrick 11.36 2.45 Perranporth testing area 11.69 2.78 Perranporth 11.57 2.66 St Agnes 11.84 2.92 Goonhavern 11.19 2.28

3.1.6 Census travel to work data also tells us that 44.6% of the economically active 3,944 people who live in the testing area also work there. This means that 2,186 people work elsewhere. The largest flows out are: Truro 900 Camborne/Redruth 304 Falmouth/Penryn 117 Newquay 115 St Austell 69 Bodmin 51

8 3.1.7 An additional 877 people come to work in the area from elsewhere. 3.1.8 Perranporth is only 40.6% self contained, St Agnes 36.8% and Goonhaven 37.5%, though it is also a net importer of 71 employees. Perranporth and St Agnes exchange fewer than 25 employees with each other. 3.1.9 The average distance to work for the area as a whole is 19.5km, against the Cornwall average of 17.7km. 66% use a car to get to work. 11% walk or cycle to work and 3% go on the bus. 16.9% work from home. Thus around a third of people either work from home or commute by zero-carbon means. The remainder, though, commute by car, and over distances which are greater than the Cornwall average – the large numbers of commuters to Truro, CPR and further clearly account for much of this. 3.1.10 However, of the 514 people who live and work in Perranporth 335 either work at home or walk or cycle to work. For St Agnes the same statistics are 411 and 263. These are high levels of low-carbon trips to work. 3.1.11 Reductions in domestic and workplace energy use are also national targets. These tend to apply across the board, but the additional costs of distribution of energy to smaller settlements in rural areas raise the obvious issue of whether more of the energy needed in future could be produced more locally, to address this. New development will also need to be of the highest environmental performance, and the performance of existing development will need to be upgraded. 3.1.12 The final dimension is the maintenance and improvement of the local environment. The Cornwall AONB runs up the coast from the west as far as Perranporth.

3.2 Ensuring a strong, healthy and just society

3.2.1 Our objectives are that the LDF needs to support meeting the housing needs of all households through facilitating a balanced and affordable housing stock, and also facilitating access to a core set of services and facilities for households. Meeting the needs of all households in this way gives access to opportunities and encourages communities to be as inclusive and supportive as possible.

Population

3.2.2 The 2001 census shows the population of the Perranporth testing area as 9,091. The population has grown by 7% between 2001 and 2008, compared to a 6% average for Cornwall. The 2000- 2001 migration data showed that only 45% of the people who moved from a house in the testing area stayed within it. 3.2.3 The census data shows that that the testing area has a noticeably more aged population than the Cornwall average, both 50-64 and 65+. Thus there are lesser proportions of people in the lower age bands. This suggests that the area is a relatively popular retirement and 'pre- retirement' area, despite the proximity to Truro. These characteristics are particularly pronounced in the settlement-specific data for Perranporth and St Agnes. 3.2.4 The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) gives some indication of relative deprivation by different themes. In comparison to national averages the Perranporth testing area is slightly worse than average overall. It scores very well for crime and averagely well for health, education and employment, but poorly for poorly for environment (which includes housing). St Agnes shows less deprivation than Perranporth.

9 3.2.5 This split certainly identifies the more aged members of the communities, and also hints at relative affluence, possibly linked with commuting. However, it also suggests that agriculture remains important in the area. Do the classifications make sense?

Housing

3.2.6 There were 3,999 houses with residents in the Perranporth testing area (2001) together with a further 88 vacant household spaces and 235 second/holiday homes, 92 of which were in Perranporth and 58 in St Agnes. 3.2.7 The housing stock in the Perranporth testing area is characterised by a relatively high proportion of detached housing – 50.1% compared to the Cornwall average of 36.8%. There are fewer semi-detached and terraced houses, but slightly more flats than the county average. 3.2.8 There is a similar proportion of owner occupation in the testing area than the Cornwall average (76.0% vs 71.8%). 8.26% is social rented housing – either from a housing association or the council. This is well below the Cornwall average of 17.2%. 3.2.9 House price data for the Perranporth area (2008) shows that most of the testing area falls in an area of more expensive housing for the county. Housing is especially expensive in and around St Agnes. The IMD housing domain also highlights the affordable housing problem 3.2.10 Current Council housing waiting list information for the testing area shows a total of 284 households seeking housing. One bed units are the most commonly sought – 'family sized' requirements are less common. What are the sorts of households seeking housing? Affordable Housing Waiting Lists

1 bed 2 bed 3 bed 4 bed Total Bolingey 0 0 1 0 1 Goonhavern 15 3 1 1 20 Perranporth 69 43 18 2 132 Rose 3 1 0 0 4 St Agnes 66 45 12 4 127 Total 153 92 32 7 284

10 Perranporth testing area average house prices (2008) Services and Facilities

3.2.11 Data on services and facilities has been sourced by Cornwall Council for 2009. Whilst this does not cover all settlements in the Perranporth testing area, the following table sets out what is available. Perranporth testing area services / facilities R P c p S ( L S s F d H P E i l o l e n e i u o h r d e u e a n i c i c n b c u o m s b a c s a i l t i / c t p e e u l u a n i C t a a p s a s t h s r d c l i r u r t e a t e

s y i e f e i r ( n –

a f o - s

a i a m é n g a c – n , s g n n /

c n i i P ; u l c e s t d b l i d u t r h e n o a i g e s d i s s e s n l e p s d e ) t e r k

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o ,

. c t n f s s g s f n b h s i , t . c d

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t i g o a s i e c i n s

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, o n a o d s l s )

Bolingey 1 1 Goonhavern 3 5 3 5 1 1 Mithian 1 2 1 Perranporth 32 9 11 12 2 4 1 Rose 3 1 St Agnes 11 13 7 10 3 3 2

3.2.12 Perranporth and St Agnes clearly have the bulk of the local services and facilities. In Perranporth the influence of tourism is also clear in the large number of pubs, cafes and restaurants. Goonhaven also as a reasonable spread of services, though not a doctors, and the smallest settlements have comparatively few services, and only Bolingey has a shop. They are also very close to the larger settlements. 3.2.13 The Accession system, used by the Council, gives journey times by a variety of means to a range of location types from individual settlements. For this work we used it to give public transport journey times to five common services: • GP or Health Centre • Primary School • Secondary School • Leisure • Supermarket.

12 3.2.14 The nature of the Perranporth testing area shows clearly in the accessibility data. Both Perranporth and St Agnes are relatively large and well-served, and so accessibility to GPs primary schools is generally good – 10 minutes or below is common. However the secondary schools are in either Newquay, Truro or Redruth, and so journey times rise to around 20 to 30 minutes. The picture is similar for leisure centres, but there are supermarkets in Perranporth, St Agnes so the journey time drops to under 15 minutes for most settlements. 3.2.15 The data does not take account of the frequency or time of day of services, though, and these are also critical issues. 3.2.16 To what extent meet the service needs of their residents? If not where else do residents go and for what? 3.2.17 Do Perranporth and St Agnes act as service 'hubs' for the surrounding smaller villages? If not where else do village residents go and for what?

13 3.3 Achieving a Sustainable Economy

3.3.1 Our objective is that the LDF should provide a policy context which will enable a strong and stable local economy. This means that within the Perranporth testing area as a whole and the villages within it there will be sufficient opportunities to find work that will pay a decent living wage, to set up and grow a profitable business, to attract investment and staff with appropriate skills. The local economy should also offer residents opportunities to meet their needs for goods and services at prices they can afford. 3.3.2 So how far from doing this is the local economy now? The analysis below is based on data provided by the Council. It relates to the area shown on the map earlier in the report. The basic data unit for most economic information is Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs), which are too large to represent the individual villages fairly. Thus we have often had to rely on data representing the testing area as a whole.

Perranporth Economic Area

3.3.3 The 2001 TTW analysis shows that of the 3,944 economically active people living in the testing area only 1,758 of them worked there – 44.6%. As laid out above the main destinations for out- commuters were Truro, Camborne/Redruth, Falmouth/Penryn, Newquay, St Austell and Bodmin. Over 1,200 went to Truro and Camborne/Redruth. The proportion of economically activity people was 63.0% - the same as the Cornwall average, despite the apparently aged population. 3.3.4 Self employment was recorded as 25.7% in the 2001 Census – around 5% higher than the Cornwall average. The area hosts around 2,700 jobs (ABI 2007 – LSOAs), and 470 “workplace units” (ABI 2007 - LSOAs). Of these 357 (75.5%) are occupied by “micro-businesses” with between 1 and 4 employees – higher than for larger centres like Truro (56.8%). 3.3.5 Since 2003 the number of employees has grown by 13% and the number of workplaces by 23%, so overall businesses are getting smaller in the area. Growth has been slower than this in both Perranporth and St Agnes, so has to have been even faster in the rest of the testing area. Can you help us explain this? 3.3.6 From the 2001 census the sectors with a proportion of residents employed in them which were above the Cornwall average were public administration, education & health, and banking, finance & insurance. The spread of jobs actually available in dominated by distribution, hotels & restaurants which makes up 43.4% of all employment. This is where the growth in local jobs has mainly come from too, particularly in Perranporth but not St Agnes. 3.3.7 Residents of the testing area are noticeably better qualified than the Cornwall average. 3.3.8 Analysis of claimant data shows that 658 people in the testing area were claiming benefits in the last year. The majority are claiming “social” rather than unemployment benefits however, with only 106 claiming job seekers allowance. The remainder are claiming for incapacity (over 350), lone parent and carer support. 3.3.9 The overall impression given by the data is of a local economy with a split personality. On one hand there is a clear bias towards tourism in local business and the jobs they provide. Such employment is of relatively low value (around half the average for Truro), and so will be relatively low-waged. There is also a significant element of working from home / self employment. On the other hand there is also a clear pattern of commuting, mainly to Truro, and so these people will probably be better-waged. The travel to work in-flows also suggest that there are significant flows of people into the area to work from areas of less expensive housing:

14 Camborne/Redruth 147 Goonhavern 123 Truro 108 Newquay 60

3.3.10 There is considerable growth occuring, but this may also be mostly in tourism-related work. An important question for the future is whether these characteristics are sustainable, particularly in terms of the travel to work patterns they are generating, but also the housing market outcomes whereby house prices seem to be out of the range of some of those working locally?

15 4 Sustainability state and potential

4.1.1 The data we have collected is reasonably exhaustive, and contains many data sets which are as up to date as its is possible to make them. As ever we also have to rely on the 2001 Census for much of the detailed data we need. It is dating, of course, and the critical question is 'what has changed since 2001?'. 4.1.2 The data does not give a full picture. Local knowledge about the area can add things that available data cannot, such as patterns of local shoping and service use, the quality of local buses, the affects of the seasonal nature of the tourism, and the nature and strength of social networks in different settlements to name a few. Part of the purpose of the workshop is to consider the data and also to add to it.

4.2 Current State

4.2.1 This is our summary of the current state of the testing area. Is it right? What can you add to it? 4.2.2 It is clear that there is a strong relationship between the testing area and Truro, and to a lesser extent CPR. This is very evident in the travel to work data, and is probably also the case for some types of shopping and services. Despite their relatively small sizes, though, Perranporth and St Agnes have a relatively strong array of services and facilities, and also host significant numbers of jobs. 4.2.3 Perranporth appears to be more typically 'seaside', with a more aged population, and a clear service-bias in employment. For St Agnes the picture is more mixed, with stronger suggestions of commuting. Goonhaven appears to be a minor employment centre, but also to contain poorer households than the rest of the testing area. 4.2.4 This is a relatively high-mobility area. Close proximity to the strategic core of the County, and its relatively good road, explains much of this. Emissions from transport for the testing area are higher than the Carrick average. However, travel to work within Perranporth and St Agnes is relatively sustainable (though around a third of the workers within these small places are still driving to work). We are also seeing a limited amount of travelling in to work from lower value housing areas. 4.2.5 Functionally, Perranporth and St Agnes seem to have little to do with each other. Indeed, the testing area as a whole appears to lack any strong coherence. Instead, the larger settlements appear to have some degree of functional independence, but also to be firmly linked to Truro in the first instance, and also other larger towns on the main-road network. Does this seem the case to you? What are the shopping and service use patterns for the settlements in the testing area? Have we summarised the nature of the local housing market correctly? And the local economy / economies? Why has employment been growing faster outside the two towns? Is this a pre-retirement area? What things are missing which are needed for 'everyday' life? What is overall coherence of testing area?

16 How have these trends been unfolding over the last few years?

4.3 Potential

4.3.1 This final section is where we lay out what we think is needed to deliver the sustainability of the testing area and the individual settlements in it through to 2026. Do you think that these are the right steps? How should they be delivered? 4.3.2 The big question in this instance is whether the settlements in the testing area, particularly Perranporth and St Agnes, can become more functionally self-sufficient or whether they should be subsumed into 'greater Truro'. This might seem a bit simplistic, but this split personality is already in operation, but offers little to the future sustainability of either the two small towns or Truro, if greater localisation is the key to greater sustainability. 4.3.3 Perranporth and St Agnes are apparently quite well-equiped in terms of services / facilities, and employment to become functionally stronger, and in doing so might also become more effective local centres for surrounding villages and hamlets. How could Perranporth and St Agnes become more functionally self-sufficient? Are there clusters of settlements which could group around each town? Could / should the towns work more in partnership? How does a relatively aged population fit into greater self sufficiency? How does tourism fit into greater self sufficiency? What changes in transport use and provision would be needed? 4.3.4 Consideration of such issues raises big planning questions around the provision of housing and employment. Both the employment and housing markets of the testing area and 'greater' Truro and CPR are currently significantly intertwined. At the most simplistic level, the testing area has higher value housing and lower value employment, and so 'exports' (some) commuters to better-paid jobs in Truro, and 'imports' workers from lower value housing areas in Truro and CPR. The obvious response to this would be to provide more affordable housing in the testing area and also to try and develop a greater range of employment there. How achievable is this though? What additional services and facilities would be needed? Would the communities of the area welcome stronger local economies and more balanced local housing markets? 4.3.5 The big-scale alternative is closer ties with 'greater Truro'. We see this as intrinsically less sustainable for two reasons: • the difficulties in supporting this relationship with low-carbon transport • because Perranporth and St Agnes are, even now, showing clear signs in independence Are these conclusions correct? If not how could the testing area be better integrated with 'greater Truro'?

17 5 Workshop summary

5.1.1 Representatives from Cubert and St Newyln parishes attended – they are outside the testing area but had been urged to come – it was agreed that they would stay and that the scope of the meeting would be broadened to cover their area / interests. 5.1.2 There is a north coast cluster of parishes which has been established for 20-30 yrs – St Agnes, Cubert, St East and Crantock. They have no parish plan though.

Current function

5.1.3 St Agnes is a 365 sort of place - year round village - more professional people commuters than Perranporth, mainly to Truro (especially the Council and hospital). It also attracts ramblers / heritage etc rather than being beach destination. Perranporth is more of a beach / surf resort. 5.1.4 Both parishes essentially look to Truro (which is a bigger area than the testing area). So do Blackwater, Mount Hawke etc.Cubert, St Newlyn East are very much commuter villages. 5.1.5 St Agnes – shops are good – bakers, butches, greengrocer, only supermarket is Costcutter – people tend to go to Tesco & Sainsburies in Truro. Perranporth is similar – the Coop is not so cheap, they lost a greengrocer this year, but have 2 butchers, a bakery etc – in addition to Truro people also go to Newquay for Morrisons – value shopping. Both have museum, both have library. 5.1.6 In St Agnes there are lots of small businesses / homeworking – mainly professionals. This is less the case in Perranporth which is more of a tourism economy. St Agnes pre-retirement and retirement whereas Perranporth more retirement. 5.1.7 There is little local employment in St Newlyn East, Cubert or Crantock. Truro and Newquay are also the strategic centre for them. However they have fairly strong social networks and also form a wider housing market. Their schools are also absorbing overflow from Truro. 5.1.8 Goonhaven is also a commuter village but also has the garden centre and a mini industrial estate. 5.1.9 Mithain is effectively the posh end of St Agnes and Boligey same for Perranporth – they are strongly linked in. The housing market in St Agnes is definitely high value, affecting who can live there, and stifling balance and youth in the community. Mount Hawke and Porthtowan are where the cheaper housing is – used to be unpopular but this is changing. Both have grown considerably recently. 5.1.10 Perranporth and St Agnes both have considerable needs for more affordable housing. Confirmed by Sarah (CC officer). The recent affordable housing in St Agnes is welcome and popular. Mixed tenure, mainly 2 & 3 beds, and Code for Sustainable Homes 3 standard. Well- designed. 5.1.11 St Newlyn East have 8 affordable homes in the pipeline. Cubert have had some on the back of a recent larger market housing development and don't want more of the same – more market housing deepens not solves the problem. Cubert has lost a shop, filling station and pub. Mithian has lost its post office. 5.1.12 Transport is a problem for non car users. Buses are all targeted on Truro / Newquay and don't join the villages up. Access to doctors a big problem. Bus only 3 mornings a week. Main surgery is in Perranporth.

18 Future

5.1.13 Transport – strong view stated at outset that rural people need their cars by one councillor and that they should not be told what to do. 5.1.14 Conservation then moved on to: • rue the loss of the railways • point out that traffic volumes in the summer are several times higher – congestion and parking are big problems • views that technology would solve some of the probem • a far better public transport system would be needed – the current one is not an alternative. • rural needs as good broadband as urban to maximise its ability to substitute for mobility 5.1.15 The need for better balance in the relationships between types of jobs and affordability of housing is well understood. Jobs are needed to anchor people. Higher level health services (eg cottage hospital, district nurse) are needed more locally (bring well people to the sick not visa versa). 5.1.16 Other suggestions: • community renewables • more local food (there is a St Newlyn East group) • a more diverse range of shops in Perranporth (fewer surf shops) • mains gas • electric vehicles for local journeys. buses for longer • houses need to be matched to jobs, not just housing need • more relaxed approach to smallest businesses in villages, with move on space in larer settlements should they grow. 5.1.17 Strong point that the answer does not lie in making things difficult for rural people – enable them to play parts in solutions. People don't want to drive this much. 5.1.18 Overall the large villages and their near neighbours generally form independent functional units (distances and topography), with the exception of Cubert, St Newlyn East, Crantock which are loosely joined.

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