THE people of Liskeard are being invited to view proposals for a huge new development along the A38 at Tencreek Farm, which would include 550 houses and a long-awaited cinema.

In the Public Hall on Wednesday, September 5, between 4pm and 8pm, local developer Brook Street Properties will display the draft plans of what they have described as 'the creation of a new neighbourhood' with a mix of homes and jobs.

The scheme as currently planned would provide the houses and a neighbourhood centre with potential for local-scale shopping facilities, and other services such as a GP surgery if demand exists, along with a potential to include retirement accommodation.

Around six hectares of employment land will be used for a variety of job-creating uses, including leisure, offices, industrial and storage.

A community park is to be included with play areas and green spaces.

The land runs behind, and further along from the Premier Inn, and the housing will add to the 450 new homes already planned at Addington on the Persimmon development, and to the 100-300 expected to be in the planning system for the Barras Cross area, making a total of 1,300 new homes for Liskeard in the next few years.

Brook Street Properties say the plans are intended to complement and assist the regeneration of Liskeard town centre.

Company spokesman Andrew Lopes said: 'We believe that we have an excellent opportunity to deliver development which will really benefit local people by providing jobs in a location attractive to the market.

'We want to work with local people and welcome their views so that we can pull together a really good quality scheme.'

Town mayor Tony Powell said the Tencreek site was identified by Cornwall Council in the Liskeard Framework Document as a site capable of being brought forward in one to three years' time.

'This is a huge development which could have a profound impact on Liskeard,' he said. 'The town council has always had reservations about expansion beyond the town's historical boundary, but we will need to see the detailed proposals and examine both the potential benefits to the town as well as negative impacts.

'Keeping employment in Liskeard through relocating the Post Office sorting office to this site and possibly Vospers, are positives, as would be a cinema.

'Taking all the planned housing developments into consideration, this would take care of Liskeard's housing needs for the next 15-20 years.'

The mayor added that the town council believes that the development must be job-led so would be seeking guarantees from Cornwall Council to bring forward the employment land further north of the site as well.

'These are early days but I would encourage anyone who cares about Liskeard to visit the display and talk to the developers,' he said.

Councillor Katrina Dawe, who started the PENCIL campaign (Pursuit of an Entertainments Complex in Liskeard) said she was thrilled that at last a cinema could be coming to the town after seven years of hard campaigning.