PLANS for a community ‘service hub’ in Launceston have been scrapped as Cornwall Council seeks to recoup losses of its investment.

In 2022, Cornwall Council announced its plans to introduce a new ‘Service Hub’ in Launceston where residents would be able to access a variety of frontline services when they need them. Services such as a library, Adult Day Service, Registration Service, Family Service and Adult Education classes were all among the proposed inclusions.

The council expressed that the space at 5 Exeter Street sought to tackle the changing needs of Cornish communities, with locals even consulted on their desires for the new facility.

In its consultation, the council expressed that as an organisation Cornwall Council were ‘looking to do something different’ with the buildings it delivers services from. With the council stating that it wanted ‘to create a single space for our customers to access multiple services and meet the needs of the local community’. When planning the Exeter Street site, the body even employed feedback provided by locals ‘to alter the design of the building to be more in keeping with the locality.’

However, since then, the site has sat unused, with a new Freedom of Information (FOI) request revealing that the council has u-turned on its plans and hopes to sell the site, with the space potentially being lined up to be used for housing.

Having initially purchased the site for £300,000 plus VAT, the FOI has revealed that ‘the council does not intend to develop the site as originally proposed.’

It comes after ‘projected delivery costs were significantly higher than anticipated’, for which the council has cited ‘construction market inflation’.

In response to the FOI, a Cornwall Council spokesperson said: “In addition, anticipated occupiers subsequently pursued alternative service delivery arrangements, reducing demand for the proposed hub. Taking these factors into account, the council concluded that proceeding with the project would not represent value for money and the decision was taken in 2023 not to progress the development.”

As a result, the council has revealed that it is attempting to offload the site, in an effort to recoup funds spent to purchase it and that spent for the planning of the service hub.

Cornwall Council has expressed that this process is ‘progressing’ with site having been marketed and received an offer.

A spokesperson explained: “The council is progressing the disposal of the site. The site has been marketed and is currently under offer.”

However, it is not yet clear at what price the site could be sold for, with the council citing the ‘commercially sensitive’ nature of the information.

The FOI explained: “As negotiations have not yet concluded, information relating to the proposed sale price is commercially sensitive and is not currently available for disclosure.”

Though it has been expressed that ‘the council will seek to achieve best consideration reasonably obtainable in accordance with its statutory obligations.’

With the site’s future not yet set in stone, the council has suggested that the space could be transformed into a site for ‘affordable housing’.

The council explained: “The council no longer has an operational requirement for the site following the decision not to proceed with the Integrated Service Hub project. The site has been marketed and alternative opportunities, including engagement with Registered Providers regarding affordable housing delivery, have been explored. No alternative delivery solution has emerged to date.”

On top of this, it has been expressed that the sale of the site would put an end to ongoing ‘holding costs’.

“Disposal would remove ongoing holding costs and liabilities, facilitate redevelopment of a brownfield site and secure a capital receipt for the council,” the spokesperson continued.

“Any disposal will be undertaken in accordance with the Council's statutory duty to obtain best consideration reasonably obtainable.”