By Rashleigh MacFarlane

Any public consultation about revised plans for the £170 million regeneration of Truro will follow the “purdah” rules about political neutrality during an election period, County Hall promised today (Wednesday.)

Councillor Tim Dwelly is the cabinet member responsible for last month’s fiasco, which saw the council’s strategic planning committee reject its own development proposals for the run-down Pydar area.

This morning he told cabinet colleagues that revised plans would be submitted before the end of April, although he did not know the details.

“We will be taking on board all of the comments that were made at the strategic planning committee meeting,” he said.  “We have also reconsidered all of the comments we received since 2019, particularly around height, massing and car parking.

“We will continue to consult – everyone will be fully briefed.  There will be one-to-one discussions with individual councillors but we will observe, strictly, the letter of the purdah rules about public engagement during an election period.”

This means that although a revised planning application is expected before 30^th April, a final decision will be made by the council after the 6^th May election.

Mr Dwelly also confirmed that the council was continuing to rely on private-sector loans and the likely movement of interest rates, although he conceded that the incoming cabinet would have to re-visit County Hall's underlying financial arrangements after the election.  More than £5 million has been spent on the project so far.

rashleighmacfarlane@cornwallreports.co.uk