2 February 2017
Credit: Image courtesy of Llewellyn Harker Architects
A new heliport on the edge of Penzance in Cornwall is set to go ahead after WYG led a team that secured a unanimous resolution to grant full planning permission from Cornwall Council. The heliport will re-instate a helicopter service to the Isles of Scilly that last ran in 2012.
The flights will serve all the islands through St Mary’s Airport and will also restore a direct link to Tresco. The service will complement existing transport services and will operate seven days a week.
Working on behalf of applicant Penzance Heliport Ltd, WYG provided multi-disciplinary services including:
The team combined its extensive technical knowledge of heliport proposals with its strong relationship with key stakeholders and local knowledge. It established the planning strategy and delivered robust technical surveys as part of the planning application documents.
WYG worked closely with project architects Llewellyn Harker, operational experts, and the applicant’s in-house team during pre-application consultation and the planning application process.
In response to comments during the public consultation, the team subsequently made some changes to the scheme before submitting the application. WYG successfully demonstrated that the heliport, located on a greenfield site, would not have any adverse impacts, in particular on existing residents, ecology, risk of flooding, highways, historic environment and heritage.
The project has received tremendous public support - the Council received over 2,600 messages of support (compared to just 20 objections).
Mr Dorrien-Smith of Penzance Heliport Ltd said: ”We are delighted at this result. WYG’s innovative thinking and hard work has paid off and, as a result, we are set to achieve a long-term ambition to re-instate the helicopter service.”
The service is expected to grow overall visitor numbers to the islands by enhancing travel options and resilience. Residents will also benefit from a better choice of transportation to access facilities such as social and healthcare as well as the financial and professional services they require on the mainland. The scheme will also create a number of jobs both during construction of the heliport and in the operational phase on St Mary’s and Tresco, and in Penzance.
Simon Coles, WYG’s director leading the project, said: “This is a very exciting project and we are immensely proud to assist in reinstating such a vital link to the islands.”
WYG will now support the applicant in discharging planning conditions. The heliport is expected to open in 2018.
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