Truro city centre £170m regeneration approved by Cornwall Council

A £170m scheme to redevelop Truro has been approved by Cornwall Council.

The Pydar Regeneration Scheme would see 300 homes, a university centre, community buildings, hotel, restaurants built in the city centre.

Outline planning permission was approved by the council's strategic planning committee.

The project will be built on the site currently home to the former Carrick District Council offices, viaduct car park and shops and other units.

Following the approval more detailed plans will be worked up.

In February politicians refused planning permission for initial proposals over concerns about the scale of the development as well as a loss of parking spaces in the city.

Changes were made to reduce the height of the buildings planned and developers also agreed to retain Moresk car park, which has 118 spaces, for a period of three years as part of the phased development.

Under the proposals 320 homes would be built, 112 of which will be classified as affordable - there would also be up to 400 student bed spaces.

Another key part of the development will be The Hive, a new centre for Falmouth University and hub for screen and digital sectors.

To reduce the height the non-residential use was cut by 21% - overall retail will account for less than 2% of the site, with workspace and leisure taking 10%.

The planning report put before the committee said there was a need for the homes planned on the site - when the application was last considered by councillors there was a need for 440 homes in that area which has since increased to 651.

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