Work on Saltash's major Millennium project, at Saltmill, started on site this Monday – with the contractors faced with the task of bringing in 35,000 cubic metres of fill to landscape and regrade the site.
One of those involved in the scheme, Groundwork's chief executive Jon Andrewes, has asked local residents to be patient with the disruption caused during the next 12 weeks, as the amount of material to be moved is almost enough to fill the Saltash tunnel.
He said: 'Because the stretch of river is a protected area, we could not bring it in by barge. It has to come by road which means asking local residents to put up with some noise and disruption.'
The project, by Caradon council and Groundwork, will involve almost a year's intensive construction work, as the former landfill site is transformed into l7 acres of recreation land. By September 2000 Saltmill will offer an all-weather pitch for soccer, hockey and basketball; BMX and skate boarding areas; and an extensive riverside promenade with picnic areas and an open air arena for special events.
Chairman of the Saltmill advisory group, Eric Lewis, said: 'Saltmill will greatly improve the opportunities for sport and recreation in Saltash. We're short of public open space in Saltash, and I hope all the residents of the town will benefit from the new park when it opens.'
Phase one of the project took place last year, with remedial works to reclaim and secure the site. That work, funded by English Partnership (now part of SWERDA), was carried out by Edmund Nuttall, and the same contractor has now been selected to carry out the phase two landscape and construction work. Local residents were on the selection panel to choose the contractor, and the company's willingness to consider the residents' concerns was an important factor in the decision.