The site of the council offices at Dolcoath Avenue in Camborne are to be sold to create a 66-bed care home for the elderly following a decision by Cornwall Council’s Cabinet committee today.
The sale will be subject to the care home company obtaining the appropriate planning permission in due course.
The former overflow car park will not be included in the sale, but will be marketed and could be used for housing going forwards, although no final decision has yet been made at this point.
The decision to close the offices was taken last July after a study showed that the offices now see occupancy running at around just 10% of capacity. Continuing to use the building would require an investment to repair the elements of the building and make it fit for the future, as well as incurring higher running costs.
It was instead decided that all resident-facing services currently offered at Dolcoath would be transferred to the council’s nearby South Wheal Crofty offices, while public meetings will be transferred to Kresen Kernow.
Speaking after the meeting, council leader Cllr Linda Taylor said: “I am delighted that the Dolcoath Avenue site will be used to provide a facility that is really needed by the local community.
“We have a growing older population, and a real demand for care home beds, so this really is good news for local residents.
“I am also pleased that we are maintaining access to our key services for Camborne residents. As an administration we have to make difficult decisions and closing a large office site like this demanded careful consideration, but we have ensured that the final outcome is a real boost for the local area.”
Also on today’s agenda was an item on the Pydar Regeneration project, asking for an extra £10 million investment over the next two years to cover the project costs as final plans are developed.
The meeting heard how the project has been beset by a number of issues, including the pandemic, rising interest rates and a huge leap in building costs, but that the development is vital for the future of Truro and the wider Cornish community.
Also on the agenda were a number of items relating to Adult Social Care. Following a period of engagement with people who use the council’s day opportunities and respite services, this included a look at how the authority contracts services. This new, flexible contracting system will allow providers to adapt their offer according to how people want to spend their time.
A business case that will support people with health and social care needs to access to good quality housing options with the right types of care and support was also discussed and approved.
You can watch today’s meeting back via our webcast archive.
