YOUNG people are getting behind plans to create new housing from a derelict building on the Rame Peninsula.

The Old Ship Inn was gutted by fire in 2013. Now the Peninsula Trust hope to rebuild the Cawsand property and create a heritage centre and cafe.

The upper floors of the building will house four flats, to be let to residents of the area at reasonable rents and on long-term, secure tenancies.

The Trust wants local people to invest in the project - and it needs to sell £150,000 in community shares by May 10 in order to purchase the Old Ship.

With around three weeks to go, more than £42,000 has been raised so far.

A key aim of the organisation is to improve the housing provision for local people, which it says is currently in crisis.

It also wants to prevent housing stock on the Peninsula from being sold as holiday home, and says it is working with Cornwall Council towards this aim.

There is particularly strong support for the Old Ship project amongst young people who have grown up in the area and want to stay living there , says the Peninsula Trust.

An community event giving backing to the scheme, led by young people, is planned for Friday April 27.

A parade will assemble at the Cleave at 6pm, which will make its way over the the Old Ship Inn on Garrett Street, where people can have their say about their housing needs on a comments board.

A meeting in the Congregational Hall will be the chance to hear details of the Peninsula Trust’s proposals on new local housing.

Guest speakers at the event will be portfolio holder for homes on Cornwall Council Andrew Mitchell, deputy leader of Cornwall Council Julian German, and Cornwall Councillor for Rame George Trubody.

‘The Trust emphasises that this is not a protest, but rather a positive show of community support for local housing,’ said a spokesperson.