PEOPLE are being encouraged to give their feedback on plans for a new Cornwall Council building to be erected at Liskeard’s former Cattle Market.

The Service Hub will house the local authority’s Family Hub, Registrars, Adult Education, Adult Day Services, Safe and Well, and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

The new three-storey building will be located in the north western corner of the site between the Market Cafe and the boundary with Varley Lane. It will replace some existing Council-owned properties in Liskeard including Luxstowe House, Graylands in Dean Street, Laity House on Higher Lux Street, and Westbourne House, now the home of internet provider Wildanet.

Cornwall Council says that combining the services under a single, flexible centre has benefits – and that it expects to be able to cut its operating expenses in the town as well as its carbon footprint.

A public drop-in event for people to see the plans had been due to take place last week but was postponed because of the icy weather, and the Council says it will reschedule for some time before the end of January.

The current deadline for members of the public to submit planning-related comments to Cornwall Council is January 4. To see the planning application and leave comments visit Cornwall’s online planning register and use reference PA22/10699.

A separate survey is also underway at letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk/liskeard-service-hub. This survey, which Council officers say is not directly linked to the planning application, will remain open. It is the place where people can leave more general and open-ended feedback about the plans – and locals are also asked to suggest a name for the new building.

During a consultation period in October and November, 170 people visited the website and 19 left comments. Among concerns raised was the loss of parking, which the council says is being addressed through the wider whole-site masterplan. The Cornwall Design Review Panel had raised various things it found problematic about the internal and external design of the building: the Council says it has taken these on board in amending the proposals.