27 November 2009

Redruth Action Plan Project Launched

On Friday 27 November nearly 50 development site owners, Councillors and members of the Redruth business community, met to officially launch the Redruth Action Plan Project (RAPP).

Over the next six months, the RAPP will be calling the community, businesses and site owners in Redruth into action.  The RAPP is asking these groups what they want to see developed in Redruth and it will seek to establish how all they can work together to make this happen.  Workshops will be held with businesses and site owners, and in-depth consultation will be carried out with the community to inform and create a 20-year vision for the economic regeneration of Redruth, together with a five-year action plan to start to bring that vision to life.

A report has already been prepared to quantify the current economic position of Redruth.  It has also considered the barriers to investment such as poor access, image and potential flood risk.  A summary of the report is available on downloads section of the CPR Regeneration website at www.cprregeneration.co.uk.  For further details of the project please also see the 'what we do' section of the website.

The RAPP is directed by a steering group made up of South West RDA (Regional Development Agency), Homes & Communities Agency, Cornwall Council, Redruth Town Council and is managed by CPR Regeneration, the urban regeneration company for Camborne, Pool and Redruth, utilising investment from the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) Convergence Programme and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA). 

Imelda Martin, Project Manager at CPR Regeneration said, "This is an exciting opportunity for local people and the business community to work together to change perceptions and to give Redruth the bright future it deserves.  Redruth needs to take charge of its destiny so that it can benefit and join in with all the other regeneration activity planned for the Camborne, Pool and Redruth area, like the Pool Innovation Centre."

Barbara Ellenbroek, Mayor of Redruth, said, "This is a real opportunity for the whole community and especially our young people to influence the future of their town and make it the kind of place that they and their children will be proud to live in.  It could be the start of real improvements, but we are all going to have to work hard to produce an inspiring vision for the future of the town and most importantly, one that can become a reality."

Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Convergence Partnership Office for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said, "Redruth, as part of the CPR area, is a priority area for economic regeneration for the Convergence Programmes.  This project will help match the needs of the town with the opportunities provided by Convergence and other complementary regeneration initiatives."

Carolyn Rule, Cornwall Council cabinet member for the Economy and Regeneration, said: "It's great to see so many local businesses and other organisations working together for the good of the economy in the Redruth area.  Redruth has a tremendous amount to offer and I'm sure that with everyone on board and working hard we can forge a successful future."

Colin Molton, Regional Director for the HCA in the South West said: "The Homes and Communities Agency is about more than the delivery of homes.  We want to make sure that communities are places where people want to live and work.  Community and partnership involvement is vital to ensuring that Redruth develops to meet the present and future needs of people who choose to live and work there.  I would urge everyone who has a point of view to get involved and have a say in making Redruth what they'd like it to be."

Sandra Rothwell, head of regeneration at the South West RDA in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: "Redruth has seen the benefit of significant investment in the town centre and we want to build on that success by making sure that the town is well placed to benefit from and contribute to the wider regeneration of the area both now and in the future."