Launceston Steam Railway extension in jeopardy

Nobody has asked me to say this, but I think it deserves a wider audience.

The Launceston Steam Railway has been running since 1983, and the current terminus is a farm park at New Mills (about 2 1/2 miles). The owners bought the trackbed to Egloskerry, which would more or less double the length of the operation. Cornwall Council want to provide a cycle track and in 2009 applied for a grant for this purpose. They were going to arrange with the LSR to run alongside the restored railway to Egloskerry but these negotiations broke down.

Now the council are seeking planning permission from themselves to build a cycle path along the trackbed from New Mills to Egloskerry, with a new car park at New Mills and users of the cycle path would access it along narrow country lanes. This is not the original idea which was to avoid use of roads, and this morning the council's leisure pages on its website still said:
"In Launceston, the project will create a new off-road multi-use trail from central Launceston travelling west 8km to Egloskerry along the route of the old railway. The project is expected to provide new tourism opportunities for local businesses."

Not only that, but the proposed new cycle path has been designed to make it impossible for even narrow gauge trains to run on the old trackbed to Egloskerry, so preventing the steam railway from extending. The Council would need a compulsory purchase order to carry out the development, and would effectively take the land off the people who have worked so hard to make a go of a delightful steam operation in an area which is inland and lacks tourist footfall.

Apart from the unfairness of the council's behaviour, it seems a strange way of providing "new tourism opportunities for local businesses". The council's own business case for grant aid (which I believe was given) says that at paragraph 5.93; "Although the trains will carry bicycles it is not anticipated that there will be much demand for multi-modal journeys. The evidence from elsewhere (e.g. Ffestiniog and Bodmin) is that passengers will not mix their travel mode with walking or cycling.", so not many pickings there for the railway.

Anyone wishing to comment on the application before it is decided can go onto the council's website - planning application PA12/07870 - and use either the on line facility or post to Cornwall Council, 3/5 Barn Lane, Bodmin, Cornwall PL31 1LZ. Although the Council's application is to itself, it is obliged to give fair consideration to representations and the application could get reviewed by the Secretary of State. I don't know whether a compulsory purchase order has yet been applied for, but there will also be opportunity for representations about that.

 

If the landowner (or anyone else with a valid case) objects to a CPO a public inquiry must be held, chaired by an independent inspector who then reports to the Secretary of State.

 

Thanks, Miff

I don't suppose that being a well wisher amounts to a valid case as regards a CPO, so that is probably down to the landowner as far aa a CPO is concerned. However, anyone can object to a planning application, as long as it is a planning reason why the application should be refused. Not wishing to put words into anyone's mouth, but the proposed cycle track would cause traffic problems on the narrow country lanes around New Mills, and it would prejudice any reopening of the railway beyond New Mills - traffic reasons, also potential damage to tourist industry as the LSR is well established, and would bring more people to Launceston if allowed to extend its line.

 

Yes - LSR website says they will be objecting to the current proposal (whilst continuing to support the original plan) and encourage their supporters also to object if they wish.

Latest news: Launceston Steam Railway : Latest News
More info: Launceston Steam Railway : TRAC Project

 

As a cyclist, railway enthusiast and retired local government officer this all sounds familiar. I am not in favour of any scheme that seeks to "promote cycling" by creating a separate route of limited length and expecting that users will bring their bikes there by car. Cycling should start, if not from home, at least from main centres on decent roads. Providing car parks accessed by narrow lanes or in sensitive locations in National Parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty is not a sensible policy.

As the railway owns the land it should forthwith submit its own planning application which should include passive provision for a parallel path for walkers and pedestrians. In view of the history of the land (ie an ex-railway) and the ownership situation it would be difficult for the Local Planning Authority to do other than grant permission.

If such an application were refused, there is the route of appeal to the Secretary of State. Normally such appeal would be transferred to an Inspector for decision but I have a feeling that, if there were the existence, or even the hint, of a rival scheme involving the need for a CPO, the decision might well be reserved by the Secretary of State, that is the Inspector would submit a report to the SofS who would take the decision.

The railway may well find that there are many within the Cornwall Unitary Council who are more sympathetic to its aspirations than those apparently being promoted by the Council. Its supporters, particulary those who are local electors, should begin political lobbying as well as keeping an eye on the legalities.

 

Clarification regarding land ownership - the LSR only owns some of the land required for an extension (around 1/2 a mile of trackbed at the Egloskerry end). This is, however, a very clear statement of intent to get to Egloskerry. The rest is in private ownership with four different landowners (strictly speaking five if you include the road bridge at Newmills, which was bought in the last two years from BRB by Cornwall Council). As noted on the website, many of the affected landowners have objected to the CPO. The CPO and planning application do not cover land owned by the LSR but do cover the privately owned land which would be necessary to extend the railway to Egloskerry.

 

If you would like to support the LSR in its aim to extend the railway to Egloskerry alongside a trail, rather than being blocked by the current Cornwall Council plans, then you can sign our petition at Petition Objection to the Cornwall Council Planning Application which will prevent extension of the Launceston Steam Railway - over 400 people have done so and it will only take you a minute.

 

Here's hoping the number signing the petition rises yet further and the LSR gets the support it deserves.