Penryn's 'Purple Carbuncle' Student Block May Be Demolished and Rebuilt
Exactly four years after construction halted on the controversial 528-bed Studytel building in Penryn, known locally as the 'Kernick Carbuncle,' there may finally be movement to address the eyesore. The purple student accommodation block has stood empty and deteriorating since March 2022, attracting anti-social behaviour and frustrating residents.
Developer Considers Deconstruction Options
A spokesperson for the developer revealed that surveys and planning work are underway to determine the safest way forward, with options including partial or full deconstruction. "No final decision has been implemented on site," they said, "and the priority is to minimise disruption locally and to keep stakeholders updated as matters progress." Further details will be provided once the programme is confirmed.
The building, located on Kernick Industrial Estate, was granted planning permission by Cornwall Council in 2018. Isle of Man-based Sondica contracted Caledonian Modular Ltd for the £40 million project, but work stopped when the contractor went into administration. Sondica stated that the entire frame now needs replacement due to updated building regulations.
Community Outcry and Political Pressure
Local residents and officials have expressed growing desperation over the site's condition. Cllr Dean Evans (Green Party, Penryn) reported that plans are being finalised to dismantle and rebuild the structure, with recent site activity including clearing spoiled material and installing a new fence as evidence of progress. "We want a conclusion and completion – it couldn't just stay there like that," he said, emphasising the need to return an adjacent football field to community use.
Following a suspected arson attack in September last year, Falmouth MP Jayne Kirkham (Labour) called for definitive action: "Penryn Town Council and local residents have been tirelessly campaigning for action but very little has happened for three years. We need definitive action – to make the site safe, take it down or finish the build."
Residents' Frustrations Mount
Neighbours have endured insulation and purple cladding debris blowing into their gardens during high winds, with one unnamed resident from the Trevance estate describing the block as "disgusting" and "the biggest eyesore going." They added, "We're all fed up to the back teeth with it. We have to open our curtains every morning and see that."
James Clewett, a neighbouring resident, highlighted the loss of the football field, which was only rented as a depot for six months but has not been returned after five years. "The whole situation is a mess," he said. "Living next door to an increasingly derelict mess, that is attracting the worst kind of human behaviour, is becoming a genuine burden that we're all carrying."
The 528 unused units have also been criticised as a missed opportunity during the housing crisis, adding to the community's sense of neglect. With the developer now actively exploring solutions, hopes are rising for a resolution to this long-standing blight on Penryn's landscape.
