NEWSLETTER 15th April 2010
Holes in the ground
The current works in the High street replacing gas pipes and resurfacing the road has revealed a glimpse of the historic network of cavities and tunnels beneath our feet in Falmouth. Terry Brandreth, one of our members and proprietor of the Old Town Hall, was amazed to see outside the entrance of this building, a cavern about 9ft deep, the road above being supported by an interesting arrangement of granite lintels. The historian summoned to assess the importance of this find only stayed long enough to decide, without further inspection, whether it was an entrance to a tunnel to the beach, an adjunct to the Old Town Hall, which had also been a court house, or a cess pit. The hole was filled in at break neck speed though with an assurance that it would not be difficult to explore in the future. Will it ever happen?
In a conversation with the late Peter Gilson, who spent his retirement years piecing together the history of Falmouth from records and local residents, he regretted how little information there was about these passages in likely and unlikely places.
We can confirm the existence of one. In 1962 we were told that there was an underground passage from 13 Greenbank to the beach across the road. Our strong doubts about the accuracy of the information were dispelled when a visitor said that he had stayed in the house during the war and knew about the tunnel. He identified the point of entry in the small courtyard between the back of the house and the fisherman’s cottage, one of the row behind all the Georgian houses. Though the opening slab had been covered in concrete, it was too interesting to deter exploration. It was revealed, lifted and there were inviting steps. It was possible to walk a few yards into the passage until a fall of stone and bricks blocked the way. No one felt inclined to face the perils of further exploration. Tunnels known to members include the passage, now under Marks and Spencer, from Bell’s Court to the beach. It is said that it was to deliver gold bullion from the ships.
The Rev. John Coope who owned Gyllyndune Manor House was responsible for building the small “chapel” near the water front between 1840 and 1860. It had an underground passage from his grounds to the beach. Members may be interested to know that this enterprise involved closing a public footpath resulting in a dispute with the local authority. Some things never change!
Other owners of fine houses like the White House, former home of the author Howard Spring, also built underground access to the nearest beaches. Perhaps more of our mebers have interesting information on this topic?
Myra Morris
Key Points of the Chairman’s AGM report:
Development Concerns
The rising bollard in Church Street
The Society was very much in favour of measures which would reduce the number of vehicles using the main thoroughfare – Market Street, Church Street, Arwenack Street. And so to this end we supported the installation last year of the rising Bollard in Church Street. It is not a perfect solution since cars insisting on using this route during prohibited hours can either wait one minute for the bollard to descend before proceeding (even though this risks an on-the-spot fine), or else follow a minor diversion through the Church Street Car Park which avoids the bollard altogether. Nevertheless my impression is that the device has had a considerable effect in reducing the number of vehicles using these streets as a through route.
The Future
Unitary Authority
Last year I referred to the demise of Carrick (and the other Cornish) District Councils which had been established established in 1973. The new Unitary Authority – Cornwall Council – which replaced the Borough, District, and County Councils, started in April last year. However we were told that it would take some time before all the necessary changes are worked out and are running, but the transformation should be completed in 2011. So far many of us have not noted any major changes in local government as they affect our daily lives. However one change seems to have occurred which affects planning. This is the demise of the Carrick Design Review Panel, of which I was a member by virtue of being Chaiman of the Civic Society. This Review Panel examined submissions for major development proposals before formal planning permission was sought. The Panel met the developers & architects so their preliminary proposals could be examined and discussed. In this way if was expected that the dialogue and subsequent report by the Panel might lead to improved planning proposals. However, this Panel seems to have been disbanded. I put it this way because I have received no word that it has, or that my services are no longer required. But the last meeting was called more than a year ago.
Rather than the changes resulting from administrative reorganization, it may well be that there will be a greater impact on local government services resulting from major cuts in expenditure which are expected, forced by the economic recession.
The Economic Recession
House prices and affordable housing
One of the effects of the economic recession is that there have been relatively few new major building proposals for the Committee to consider, although the number of minor applications for alterations and additions has not been much affected. However, in spite of the recession, house prices in general increased by about 9% over the last year. In Falmouth the average house price was £258,000, about the same as Truro, but much less than the fashionable seaside towns of the South-West, e.g Salcombe £508,000, Padstow £402,000, Dartmouth £379,000, and Fowey £315,000. In these difficult economic times it is difficult to predict what will happen next. Most recently there is some evidence that the increase trend has been reversed, but it would seem that the situation for young first-time buyers, although not as acute in some other towns, is unlikely to improve in the short term. This is an issue of concern to us and, as a Society, our position is that we encourage policies which address it.
The Future of the Poly
Several of the members of the committee are members of the Polytechnic Society and entitled to go along and vote at the AGM in May. If you have views about its future and would like us to put your views with one voice then email us at secretary@falmouthcivicsociety.org.uk or write to 27 Trevethan Road, Falmouth TR11 2AS
Cream Tea and Talk Monday 26th April 3.30pm at King Charles Coffee Shop
Please do come along to the next cream tea and talk when Dr Harry Locksley will give us a sequel to his previous very successful talk “Transported to Botany Bay.” This one is entitled “Growing up down under...”
We welcome prospective members as well, so do bring your friends along. Over tea there is a chance to chat informally about matters about the town that may concern you or conversely that you would wish to encourage. A collective voice is always stronger than the individual, but we cannot act unless we know your views.
If you have an email address please email secretary@falmouthcivicsociety.org.uk and then we can contact you immediately about matters of importance to the town.
The Rising Bollard Abuse
Pictures taken within 5 minutes
on 12th April 2010
We are delighted to welcome a new member of our committee, Emeritus ProfessorMike Jenks , Founder Director of the Oxford
Institute for Sustainable Development,and formerly a Professor and Head of Architecture in the School of the Built Environment, Oxford Brookes University.
The following is a brief summary of his talk at the AGM.
Urban design and the future of Falmouth
Urban design,he said, is not planning or architecture but comes somewhere in between. He showed a diagram of how towns had developed from the streets of 19 th Century to the high rise flats of the 1960s and how we had learnt from our mistakes then. However there is still plenty of room for bad design!
As examples of good design he referred to the redevelopment of the Camborne/
Pool area. Good design, he stressed, is about having an overall vision, keeping in
mind space, height and density. There are great contrasts in Falmouth at the
moment. To illustrate this, Professor Jenks showed photos of the recreational seaside and the working harbour, a large conservation area and large area of social deprivation, well cared for and neglected areas, overdevelopment and under development and the problem of houses of multiple occupancy. He stressed that good design does not have to be traditional, it can be contemporary. In fact the problem with much suburban development is that it could be anywhere!
Falmouth might not have such expensive housing as some seaside towns in the South West but this does not mean there is affordable housing within the £80,000 to £100,000 range. This can still be well designed. Good urban design, he said, should have social inclusiveness, respect urban fabric, keep and respect local distinctiveness and develop sensitivity to meet needs.
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