70-year-old underground power cables to be replaced over next five years

Western Power Distribution (WPD) are behind the work, which will involving restricting vehicular access to the town, and will be holding drop-in sessions next month where business owners and residents will be able to raise any concerns.

Following close consultation with local traders, Cornwall Council, and town manager, Richard Gates, WPD has now agreed a plan that will enable them to start the essential work on the low voltage electricity network in January.

The work comes following a number of low voltage faults on the local electricity network in Market Street, and will involve the removal and replacement of underground cables and the installation of a new substation - replacing the one outside Marks and Spencer with a new one in Church Street car park.

Jon Nesbitt, distribution manager for WPD, said: “This is a difficult project due to the location of the cables in a busy town centre. We want to minimise any disruption to the town centre, its traders and visitors as much as possible and what has been agreed should cause least disruption and enable us to carry out this work.”

Phase one of the five year project will start in January and last three months. These dates have been agreed to avoid the busy Christmas period and all the other activities that take place in the town throughout the year.

As part of the first phase, a section of road between the junction of Market Street and Market Strand and the junction of Market Strand and Fish Strand Hill will be closed between January 8 and March 16. Phase two will begin in January 2019.

WPD will be running a number of drop-in sessions at the town’s information service on The Moor so any traders and residents who will be affected by the work can speak to a representative of contractors, Kier May Gurney, who will be carrying the excavations. The sessions will run between noon and 7pm from November 7 and 9.