A CHILDREN'S play area in Launceston that residents have previously described as a 'dilapidated eyesore' is a 'white elephant', according to a town councillor.

Cllr John Harris, who said he is a director of Cornwall Housing, a division of Cornwall Council that owns the land at the bottom of St Mary's Road on Lanstephan Estate, described it as such because building on the land was 'off the cards'.

He said at a meeting of the town council: "Cornwall Housing put in a planning application for six units at that area and Cornwall Council's own open spaces team squashed that and said it had to be an open space.

"Unless the open spaces committee change their minds it's off the cards — just a white elephant.

"Cornwall Housing doesn't want it anymore. It is willing to hand over to Cornwall Council or the town council if they want it, but there is not the money from Cornwall Housing."

Cllr Harris' comments were in response to Chris Sims, Cornwall Council's community network manager, who asked the town council if it would consider taking the land on 'if it is made good'.

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.