Asda committed to Memorial Park site

An impression of how the store at Memorial Park may look.

By katri iivonen-gray

ASDA has confirmed it will submit a planning application for the redevelopment of Hayle Rugby Football Club (RFC) next month.

The supermarket giant's proposal for the Memorial Park site includes a 30,000sq ft food store, a number of small business units at the rear of the store and work on the Marsh Lane mini roundabout to improve traffic flow.

Hayle RFC will, at the same time, submit an application for its relocation to a new ground and facilities at Carwin Rise which is about 500 meters to the east from their current home of more than 60 years.

Both applications are expected to be with Cornwall Council by the end of October.

Steve Benney, the chairman of Hayle Rugby Football Club, said the club is delighted to be able to submit a planning application for a new ground.

He said: "The rugby club provides a real community focus for the town and for the local area and we want to provide a facility that is state of the art and that will encourage more local families and young people to participate in rugby and other leisure activities well into the future.

"We have received a lot of support from the people of Hayle and hope that we will be able to bring this project to fruition."

Asda says it is committed to the site and vigorously denies any rumours of the supermarket chain having an interest in ING's South Quay site.

Lucie Brailsford, property communications manager for the retailer, said: "We have been told by a number of people that at their exhibition at the weekend their representatives gave the impression that the supermarket on their site might be an ASDA. This is not the case. We believe it (Memorial Park) is the most appropriate location for a food store in Hayle and we will be submitting a planning application very soon.

"Any suggestion that we are interested in the ING South Quay site is incorrect."

Asda has made some changes to its original proposal which include a free bus service linking Hayle town centre to the store and the improved connections for pedestrians and cyclists crossing the A30 continue to be part of the scheme.

The new store could create up to 270 jobs.

"We strongly believe that this is both the most appropriate location for a store in the town and the supermarket proposal that will bring the greatest benefit to the community in the form of jobs, new facilities for the rugby club and other users and the new business units we are providing on our site," Ms Brailsford added.