What inspired the CFPO to set up the
Forum was their vision of capitalising on Newlyn’s strategic
importance as the premier landing port of England in terms of value.
What they hoped to achieve was a revitalisation of port infrastructure
and to secure more modern facilities and a capability of meeting
new exacting hygiene standards. In this way Newlyn would be given
a secure long-term future, employment would be maintained and greater
value added would be captured from diversified landings for the
benefit of the local community.
The CFPO recognised from the outset that if nothing at all was
done then Newlyn as a working port would at best stagnate but more
likely it would slowly decline in terms of significance and viability
with a severe knock-on effect on the local community. Newlyn at
present, they argued, was simply not capable of conforming to challenging
new rules, regulations and standards driven wither by Whitehall,
the EU, the environmental lobby or very importantly the evermore
discerning consumer. So doing nothing was simply not an option if
the future of Newlyn Harbour and its surrounding community was to
be safeguarded.
It was from this bold thinking that the Forum was given life to
become a remarkable and enduring public and private sector partnership
embracing every aspect of local industry, the harbour commissioners,
the community and local government. This body was given the responsibility
of setting out an agreed regeneration strategy to respond to urgent
local needs and aspirations and to lay the foundations for a genuinely
self-sustaining local economy.
The strategy was rolled out through 2002 and into 2003 and was
then improved and refined through an exhaustive public consultation
process. Indeed the Forum was enormously encouraged by a wide public
response providing many helpful recommendations and constructive
criticisms, but always underpinned by a common wish that “something
must be done”.
Once this initial consultation process ended, the Forum set about
lobbying for funds to underwrite the vital technical investigations
that had to be carried out before any strategic infrastructure investments
were contemplated. At the same time we were able to see through
some “early wins” within the harbour precinct itself
and begin work to deliver the vitally important Seafood Park, which
is at the heart of the industry related element of the Regeneration
Strategy. In due course this will enable fish merchants to relocate
to brand new premises outside Newlyn, close to Stable Hobba, creating
some additional jobs eventually and freeing up buildings for alternative
use in Newlyn. Traffic movement will also be reduced to the benefit
of local residents.
It is worth mentioning perhaps that the Forum is now well regarded
as an enabling body both by the Regional Development Agency and
the Government Office of the South West and that investment projects
refined, promoted and recommended by the Forum are generally taken
seriously and recognised as well conceived and worthwhile.
It is therefore encouraging to report that in the last eighteen
months it has been possible to attract upwards of £1.5 million
for some investment projects in Newlyn that were identified in the
overall Regeneration Strategy.
These include the technical investigations (now nearly completed
by Hyder, appointed consultants), a trial fish waste treatment plant,
chill chain curtains in the fish market, three phase electricity,
landing derricks and the slipway upgrade. Beyond this, work will
be starting soon on new and costly traceability and grading systems
for the market to ensure it is able to meet exacting Food Safety
regulations due in January 2005. In all these projects the understanding,
commitment and cooperation of the Harbour Commissioners has been
invaluable and their partnership in delivering the Regeneration
Strategy is much appreciated. So too is the wholehearted and enthusiastic
participation of the Penwith District Council whose officers are
providing so much help to the Forum itself as well as to its appointed
Sub Groups for Affordable Housing and Environmental Enhancement.
Other such groups will be set up shortly and will help the Forum
by bringing even greater focus to projects within the overarching
strategy.
The Regeneration Strategy of course has a vital Community Aspect
which is of equal importance. Here the Forum wishes to address issues
to do with social exclusion, quality of life and providing opportunities
for the younger generation through appropriate training facilities,
amongst other things. We are also wholly committed to the exciting
and inspirational Trinity Project which Reverend Julyan Drew is
spearheading and which we recognise as providing a vitally needed
and adaptable community resource.
Above all though we recognise the urgent need for affordable housing
for local people and I am pleased to say that the Forum with the
full support of Penwith District Council, has researched and now
adopted a sound and deliverable policy which will be rolled out
in the months ahead.
Beyond this we intend to carry out some targeted environmental
enhancement works in Newlyn which the community itself has highlighted
on various occasions throughout the consultation process. We also
wish to provide additional, converted premises for young artists
and craftsmen, building on the artistic heritage and traditions
of Newlyn and helping to diversify the local economy.
In the years ahead there will also be a wider engagement with tourism
in Newlyn, whether through the harbour where marina facilities are
to be installed or through further visionary projects such as the
newly launched Newlyn trail. All of this will help to broaden the
economic base of Newlyn and its community, providing additional
employment opportunities and giving self confidence to the younger
generation upon whom the future of Newlyn will depend.
There is a long way yet to go but there is a ground swell of opinion
that regeneration must be both successful, real and sustainable
- not just a flash in the pan. So long as the Forum remains totally
committed and fully engaged and so long as the community itself
continues to want regeneration and investment, our strategy will
continue to unfold and in due course Newlyn will be all the stronger
and more economically viable for it. I have no doubt about this
whatsoever.
Ours is a holistic and inclusive approach to regeneration where
all sectors of the community stand to benefit. We believe too that
it is vitally important for the community itself to participate
in this regeneration programme and it is for this reason that the
Forum has begun to set up focussed Sub Groups to help identify and
refine projects in key specific areas. This is an approach which
the government has now recognised and approved because it is also
a joined–up strategy that stretches across various sectors
and interests. We believe the government genuinely wishes to be
supportive and helpful and this is potentially much to our benefit,
as recent discussions with ministers has suggested. For they recognise
that the work and objectives of the Newlyn Fish Industry Forum reflect
very closely the recent recommendations of the Prime Minister’s
Strategy Unit report on the UK Fishing industry (Net Benefits).
Anyway, we have now reached a critical milestone with the opening
of the public consultation process in early July to consider the
necessary Harbour Revision Order as the Regeneration Strategy moves
into its next phase. This consultation will take place in the Royal
National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen building on two full days
on the 2nd and 3rd of July and it is a vital opportunity to hear
from Newlyn Pier and Harbour Commissioners, Newlyn Fish Industry
Forum representatives and Hyder consultants (and to question them)
about their investigations and assessments of investment priorities.
They will by then have tested the validity of the various investment
recommendations of the Strategy and have reached assumptions about
costings and deliverability. In other words it is an opportunity
to reaffirm what we all want to achieve –that is a secure
and viable future for Newlyn as the premier working port of the
fishing industry in England and for its dependent community.
I very much hope that you will be able to participate during this
period of public consultation on these two days. In the meantime
the work of the Forum goes on supported by our belief that the community
too shares our vision for the future.
Michael Galsworthy
Chairman
14.06.04
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