COMMUTERS and tourists travelling by rail both into and out of Cornwall will no longer be greeted by an 'eyesore' if development plans are given the go ahead.
After months of uncertainty over the future of the Saltash train station building, owners North Beach Homes have revealed that a planning application to convert the weed-covered single-storey building into offices is due to be submitted.
Chris Speed, director of North Beach Homes, said he was optimistic the planning application would be submitted to Caradon within two weeks, and, following approval, building work would start almost immediately.
He said: 'We have got the backing of the bank and are all ready to go ahead once we get approval. '
Initial plans to raise the roof of the station building and create a two-storey office block were scrapped after the original cost of the project rocketed from £200,000 to £350,000 due to 'the economic climate '.
The new project, costing around £100,000, would comprise two office units and around eight parking spaces.
Former mayor Sue Hooper said: 'Next year the Brunel celebrations are taking place and the derelict station building will be an eyesore. '
Town councillors will write to Caradon and have told the owners of their concerns over the poor state of the building.
However, Mr Speed said that he thought there was little point in cleaning up the appearance of the building until planning permission had been granted for the development.
The building has been the subject of much debate in recent years, with the then owners Saltash Town Council once being asked to paint the side of the building when ex-transport minister Tony McNulty travelled through the station on an official visit to Cornwall.