PLANS to demolish a ’dilapidated’ former tyre store and disused shops and create new flats will clear up an untidy area of a town centre, say the people hoping to develop the site.

Number 24-25 Fore Street Callington has been run-down for a number of years, say planning applicants Mr and Mrs Griffin of St Ive.

Permission to knock down the existing store and shop premises and construct a terrace of three houses was first given in 1998. Now the Griffins hope to renovate the existing two flats at the site, and build a further six, in order to create accomodation they say will suit either youngsters starting out or older people wishing to downsize. They’ve submitted an application to Cornwall Council (reference PA20/02061).

The scheme would include demolishing the 20th Century workshop and shopping arcade, and making good the internal structure of the main building, part of which may date to the 17th century, but is known to go back at least to the 1930s.

A detailed heritage impact assessment has been prepared as part of the application by independent architectural heritage consultant Jamie Barnes. It states in its summary: ’The proposal is a viable development for a building and site that has been underutilised for many years. The proposal is likely to strongly enhance the street facing façade of the building, and contribute an improvement of streetscape character. The proposed three storey residential block will be of a lesser footprint than the existing workshop/shopping arcade structure.’