Rural regeneration - Cornwall

EQ4A.12 Different RURAL stakeholders have different criteria for judging the success of RURAL regeneration

Struggles of Cornwall as a whole (2020 stats)

30% of the economy relies on tourism, and this stops throughout the winter months due to bad weather

Gentrification has led to Cornwall’s cost of living being much higher than the majority of the UK, yet average wages are still much lower

17 LSOAs are in the top 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in the UK

16% of children are estimated to be living in poverty

In 2018, they had the 11th highest number of rough sleepers of all UK LSOAs

Suicide rates in Cornwall are among the highest in England (14.3)

Poor transport links to the rest of the UK

Struggles of Grampound, Cornwall

Mid Cornwall (not coastal)

Cut off from main roads

Aging population - social isolation

High number of old, fuel inefficient cars

Grampound’s solutions

• A community shop was opened by a group of volunteers in 2014 (one existed before but closed in 2012 as the owners retired)

  • Of 280 households in the town, 257 became shareholders - it was a convenient project for them

• Princess countryside fund granted the town £19000 to complete the community shop

• The community windfarm also contributed funds which some residents weren’t fond of - ruined landscape

• Awarded best overall community in 2008

• The monthly community market ran by the mayor has 20 stalls

• It’s difficult for a village with as little residents as 700 to carry out large regeneration projects so they also rely on the regeneration of Cornwall as a whole

Cornwall regeneration

• The Eden project

  • Employs 400 full time staff, 75% were unemployed locals

  • In 2008, 80% of nearby businesses said they thought it had helped them - St Austell’s Brewery

  • Each visitor spends on average £150 when visiting the Eden project either there or in the local area

  • Built on a brownfield china clay quarry site

• Uni of Exeter and Falmouth have combined to create the universities in Cornwall aiming to attract graduates and reduce the brain drain effect

• Farm diversification - Lobb’s farm generated over £600,000 in additional sales in 3 years and created 14 full time jobs (e.g. farm shop)