PLANS are underway to create a new community centre in Newquay.

Newquay Town Council is in negotiation to devolve the freehold of the St John Ambulance Brigade building in St Michael’s Road from Cornwall Council.

The authority is keen to take over the building to create a more central community centre following concerns raised its Mount Wise building is too far out of town for many people to get to especially as it is at the top of a steep hill.

The issue was discussed at a recent governance and resources committee meeting.

Town Clerk Andy Curtis informed councillors that he had spoken to the localism department at Cornwall Council who stated it is “open” to transferring the St John Ambulance building to the town council.

Newquay Town Council is also in negotiation with Cornwall Council to devolve Newquay Youth Centre at Whitegate Road and an area of Mount Wise gardens to create a new children’s play park.

Mayor Drew Creek said: “We have had verbal confirmation from Cornwall Council that the Mount Wise gardens and the youth centre will be with us within the year.

“We are also exploring the potential of devolving the St John Ambulance building to the town council, which we would use as some sort of community building.

“It is closer to the town than our Mount Wise centre, which could be used less because of its distance from the town centre.

“The St John Ambulance building being closure to the town centre lends itself to more community use.

“The town council will explore what the most cost-effective community building would be. There is also a self-contained one-bedroom flat in the St John Ambulance building, which we would make sure is offered to help the affordable housing needs in Newquay.

“Given that I have recently been elected onto Cornwall Council I hope that will smooth some of the issues that there have been between the town council and the unitary authority in the past.”

A spokesperson for the town council added: “Cornwall Council is aware of how important some of the devolution projects are.

“They are fully committed to deliver some of the ones we have spoken about including the youth centre and the Mount Wise garages and gardens and are open to transferring the St Johns Ambulance building. The bigger package will be looked at with the new council.”

Newquay Town Council is looking at the possibility of transferring the ownership of the public toilets at Pentire Headland to the Cornwall Heritage Trust following the organisation being devolved the headland and car park.

Cllr Creek said: “Nothing has been agreed but the town council is going to approach the trust on the basis that they have been given the car park at Pentire that was previously promised to the town council.

“With the trust now having the car park and access issues for us on site it makes sense to explore transferring the public toilets to them alongside a costed offer for the cost of us to clean them.”