Launceston Steam Railway: extension update 27th December

Update 27th December

Shortly before Christmas, the LSR met with Bert Biscoe, Cornwall Council Portfolio Holder for Transport, for an update on the TRAC project. At the meeting, the railway was informed of the probability that the project would not go ahead, and this was confirmed officially in a press release a few days later. To read more click HERE

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Update: 8 November:

Cornwall County Council has resubmitted their planning application with some minor amendments, but still threatening the reinstatement of the LSR Line to Egloskerry. 

By submitting a new application, a situation has been created where objections to the previous application (PA12/07870) are no longer valid, and fresh objections will need to be made to the new application, and we would urge all those who have already objected to submit a fresh objection, or re-submit the previous one.

As the element to which the vast majority of objections related has not been addressed (the railway's offers of meetings with Cornwall Council have gone unanswered) natural justice would suggest that these original objections should be carried forward. If you feel that this should be the case, we would suggest that you contact Cornwall Council Planning Department, 3-5 Barn Lane, Bodmin, PL31 1LZ Tel: 0300 1234 151 planning.east@cornwall.gov.uk direct, or your Member of Parliament.

The plans can be viewed and comments made via this link:

http://planning.cornwall.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=MCJGRAFG1H900

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Update: 12 September:

13th September is the end of public consultation on this planning application. To date, 80 comments have been lodged on the Cornwall Council planning website, HERE, and more than 700 signatories added to the LSR's petition, HERE.

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Our friends at the Launceston Steam Railway have asked us to draw the attention of as many railway enthusiasts as possible to a situation which has the potential to prevent the further extension of the LSR. Please read/respond below as appropriate.

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Jonathan Mann, Launceston Steam Railway writes:

For many years the LSR has set its sights on the final extension of the railway to the small village of Egloskerry, two miles further on from the present terminus at Newmills.  To this end, more than a decade ago we purchased the final section of trackbed required at the Egloskerry end.

Some three years ago, the railway was approached by Cornwall Council with a proposal to enable the railway’s extension to Egloskerry in conjunction with the creation of an off-road multi-use trail between Launceston and Egloskerry.  Cornwall Council succeeded in their bid for funding from the South West Regional Development Agency for this project, together with projects at Bude and Caradon Hill.  The railway agreed to fund the cost of track laying and materials, whilst the project would fund the other elements.

Last year however, Cornwall Council decided it could no longer fund the railway’s extension, but would nonetheless ensure that the trail was constructed in such a way as to ensure that the route of a future railway extension was not compromised in any way.

Following a review earlier this year by the funders (now taken over by DEFRA) concerned over lack of progress overall, the Bude project and the Launceston to Polson Bridge section were cancelled. Under considerable pressure and the threat of withdrawal of funding, Cornwall Council decided to push ahead with a much reduced scheme in an attempt to meet the closely monitored deadline for completion and have applied for planning permission for a multi-use trail which involves almost half of the trail being on-road, and the section between Newmills and our trackbed at Egloskerry (where the trail once again takes to the road) being constructed down the centre of the trackbed!   If approved, this would forever prevent any possibility of the railway extending its business to Egloskerry our ultimate destination and would also cut us off from the trackbed we already own at Egloskerry.

Already a number of local people have registered objections - not least because we are the town’s major tourist attraction - but any person can comment on planning applications, and we are hoping that as many as possible will support us and the landowners in objecting to the current plan. 

Please click HERE - which will take you to the web address for the Councils application - should you wish to leave a comment. Responses have to be in by 13th September. 

Further information may also be found HERE on the LSR website

We would be most grateful for whatever help you are able to give.  All we are asking for is for Cornwall Council to change their plans so that rail and trail can share the route.

If you would like any more information, please feel free to contact me.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this.

Jon Mann LSR

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Advice Regarding Comments.

What should my comments include?

Your letter of representation can only be properly considered if you give a reason or reasons which relate to the planning application and to planning matters.

Central Government has outlined that the planning system acts in the public interest and does not protect the private interests of one person against the activities of another.  The basic question is whether the proposal would unacceptably affect the local amenities as well as affect the existing use of land and buildings which ought to be protected in the public interest.

Planning proposals are required to be judged in accordance with adopted development plan documents unless there are material planning considerations which indicate otherwise. 

Some examples of what are material planning considerations and what are not are outlined in the table below. It is important that your representation sticks to the points outlined on the left hand side of the table.

Typical material considerations  Typically NOT material planning considerations

Local Development Framework Development Plan documents Supplementary planning documents The Statement of Community Involvement The annual monitoring report Government planning guidance The Council’s corporate policies Highway safety and traffic levels Noise, disturbance and smells resulting from the proposed development Design, appearance and layout Conservation of buildings, trees and open land Flood risk Impact on the appearance of the area Effect on the level of daylight and privacy of existing property Need to safeguard the countryside or protected species of plant or animal Planning case law and previous decisions The need for the development The planning history of the site

Private property rights such as covenants The developer's identity, morals, motives or past record Effect on the value of your property The fact that development has already started Loss of a private view Inconvenience or other problems caused by building works Private neighbour disputes