Residents of Looe have swung decisively behind a new proposal to safeguard local houses for residents. 

A packed public meeting at the weekend overwhelming supported the Three Seas charity in their bid to save the Coastguard Flats in the town for repair and rental to local people. The meeting hall at the Millpool Centre in the town was “packed to the doors” according to the organisers. Three Seas manager Simon Ryan said: 

“We were hoping for a good turnout, because we knew people are really interested – but it went far better than we could have hoped. We counted every head, and there were 126 local people in that room, many stood tightly packed at the back. We genuinely could not have got any more people in there. It was brilliant.”

The meeting heard a presentation about the current condition of the flats, owned by Cornwall Council, which are mostly empty. The meeting explained the situation regarding funding for local house, being told that there simply isn’t the money or permissions in place to allow the local authority to borrow or get grants, whereas a local community group can do that and make it work.

The presentation included input from one of the remaining tenants at the Flats, Ann Edwards, who strongly supported the idea, and Looe Deputy Mayor Tony Smith giving the Town Council’s full backing.

Following a show of hands in support, a unanimous yes decision was reached with no objections.

Find out more in this week's Cornish Times.