Penzance Harbour
Public Event
Thu 18th January 2024 at Penzance sailing club 1pm to 6pm.
Thank you to everyone who came along to the presentation event on Thursday 18th January 2024 at the Sailing club.
Over 300 people came to meet the team and view the latest plans for modernising and increasing the efficiency of the harbour.
You can download and view the boards. Further down this page you will find answers to some frequently asked questions.
Exhibition boards
The refurbishment and modernisation of the Penzance Harbour aims to boost the local marine and engineering sectors and support the long-term economic sustainability of the area by providing new and affordable space for businesses.
Penzance harbour being the key gateway to the popular Isles of Scillies, the project also seeks to capitalise on this asset and bring further economic benefits for the town. The regeneration will include enhancing the marine facilities for visiting vessels and creating a more attractive site for all to enjoy through alleviating the congestion caused by freight vehicles queuing on the roads.
Over the last 12 months the Penzance Harbour team has been working alongside local stakeholders including businesses on the harbour to model the options for the modernisation of the site, to ensure future smooth pedestrian flow and alleviation of the traffic congestion at peak times.
The project is set to receive £3million from the Government’s Town Deal Fund to kickstart the modernisation the harbour and its operations as part of its 10 years management plan. The Town Deal investment, which needs to be spent by March 2026, will enable:
- The refurbishment of The Rank building on the North Arm to incorporate new engineering workshops for Penwith Marine Services and new harbour welfare facilities for resident and visiting boats including new office and meeting room space.
- The renovation and repurpose of the existing shed on West Quay to improve freight handling and access for road users between The Quay and Battery Road. This will mean heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) will no longer have to park on the main road, reducing traffic congestion and pollution in the area.
- A new pontoon to further develop the cruise market and increasing the capacity to accommodate the growing demand for visiting crafts improving income streams.
- Improved winter boat storage facility, with the potential for leisure boat repair/servicing all year-round provision offered by a travel lift facility with an environmentally friendly marine wash bay facility.
- Enhancement of the public spaces to improve safety of walking and cycling routes.
- Improvements of the harbour facilities.
A project business case is currently being developed to seek approval by both the Harbours Board and Cornwall Council.
You can find below responses to some frequently asked questions about this project.
Why is this project taking place?
The harbour is getting busier and needs better infrastructure. The £3million from the Government’s Town Deal funding provides a unique and long-awaited opportunity to upgrade the harbour estate. This will make it more efficient and safer for commercial use and address traffic congestion in that part of town.
This project will also help to create new opportunities for businesses in the marine and visitor economy sectors to grow and benefit from the improved facilities and increased visitors in the town.
The regeneration will also enhance the marine facilities for local vessels and visiting vessels alike and create a more attractive and enjoyable. It will reduce the congestion and the risk for pedestrians and cyclists caused by freight vehicles on the roads.
When will the work start?
The work will begin in early 2024 subject to approval. This will start with work on West Quay and the Rank building and continue through until March 2026 with disruption to all being kept to a minimum. The boat hoist and environmental wash down facility could be installed as early as Autumn 2024, with the pontoon installation expected to start in 2024.
The completion of the elements funded by the Town Deal investment is due by March 2026.
What is happening with the Waterside Meadery?
An 18-month notice was served to the Waterside Meadery at the end of November 2023, ahead of the demolition work which is due to start in May 2025. This will free some space and will remove queuing HGVs from the Quay Road.
The building is leased from Cornwall Council, who have been working with the Waterside Meadery and other harbour businesses located on or near the harbour for over a year to discuss the cost-efficient modernisation plans that would also address the traffic congestion.
Since the harbour estate has been earmarked for redevelopment for a number of years, the lease agreement from 2015 issued to the Waterside Meadery has a demolition clause with an 18-month notice period, which was served in November 2023.
For the past seven years, the Waterside Meadery has been paying a lower rent thanks to Cornwall Council. The Harbour Team have also been helping the Waterside Meadery to find a new location in the town for over a year, all the options proposed so far have been declined or not been suitable. The harbour team will continue to liaise with the Meadery should they become aware of other opportunities for relocation.
What is happening with the green dilapidated green shed?
The removal of the cladding from the building on the Northern end of the green shed on Wharf Road, known as the Boston Shed, started in mid-November following on from loss of panels in Storm Ciaran. The Harbour Master made the decision, on purely safety grounds, to remove the remaining panels from the building in order to avoid the chance of injury to persons or damage to property in the event of another period of strong winds.
Additional demolition work on West Quay will take place during 2024- 2025, in the meantime Cornwall Council Harbour Management Team will continue to engage with all the businesses located on or near the harbour prior further demolition taking place.
Will you be making changes to Wharf Road?
The Harbour team is working in collaboration with Cormac and Cornwall Council on the Sustainable Travel Network Project (STNP) another project funded by the Town Deal. (STNP) aims to improve walking and cycling connections in this part of town which is currently dominated by vehicular traffic.
The proposal is to remove the car park exit to provide space for a new pedestrian and cyclist link into the car park, and also allows the addition of a crossing so pedestrians can reach the walking route. This will enhance the link between the South-West Coast Path and Seafront/Harbour. More information can be seen here:https://penzancetownfund.co.uk/projects/sustainable-travel-network/
Will there be road closures?
There will be temporary and partial road closures due to the demolition works with traffic management systems in place however this will be kept to a bare minimum.
I can’t attend the event on the 18th January, how can I see the proposed plans?
The boards presenting the project plans will be available online from Thu 18th January here: https://penzancetownfund.co.uk/projects/penzance-harbour-development/
How has the community been involved in the plans for the harbour?
The harbour is one of 16 regeneration sites/ projects included in the Neighbourhood Plan consultation under the theme “Reconnect with the sea”. The Penzance Neighbourhood Plan is a community led initiative to shape the future potential of the Penzance Civil Parish area. The Plan has been drawn up following extensive public consultations between 2015 and 2023, which took place online and in person through public ‘EXPO’ events as well as individual drop-in sessions within each community. These were organised by the Penzance Regeneration Board and Cornwall Council. The latest Neighbourhood Plan consultation which run between October 2022 and December 2022, engaged over 3000 people living in the parish. You can view the plan online: https://www.pznp.co.uk/the-plan/
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